Stray
by Fluid Consciousness
Summary: Aedan Cousland gave his life to slay the archdemon. Alistair is king. He isn't sure if he's up to the task. Eamon thinks he knows someone that can help.
1. Casteless

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **This is somewhat A/U, so bear with me please. =)

* * *

**Casteless**

"Read it and weep, boys! Time to pay up!"

Several groans are heard around the table. I laugh heartily, gathering the cards together. "That's what you lot get for underestimating her," bellows the bartender.

"How were we to know that a whore would be such a savvy card player?" grouses one of my opponents.

"Tut tut, my good man. I am not a whore, I'm afraid. Just a simple woman seeking simple pleasures. Not all women that frequent the Pearl are ladies of the night," I nod in Isabela's direction. "Take the captain, for example. Fine lass indeed." Isabela winks at me and turns back to argue with some poor slob that's challenged her to a duel. Will they never learn?

"Now, I believe my total winnings are…a hundred silvers," I grin widely, savouring the winces of each man at the table. Lucky for them, they don't argue and simply pay up. I pay no mind to the fighting that's broken out behind me. Isabela can handle herself. I'm not surprised when she slides into the chair across from me, appearing only mildly piqued from her duel.

"Gathered yourself quite a bit of silver, sweet thing," she smiles. "Would you like to go below deck and celebrate?"

I chuckle softly, shaking my head. "Lovely as you are, I'm afraid that you lack the proper parts that I need in order to be satiated." I wink at her.

She grows serious after sparing a glance over my shoulder. "There's someone asking for you," she mutters. I shift my weight slightly and turn in my seat. I recognize the man she's referring to immediately. He's obviously out of place with his perfectly trimmed grey beard and high quality clothes. I would have thought him smart enough to at least dress the part of a commoner. Though in all of the years I've known him, Eamon Guerrein is hardly the subtle type.

* * *

I'm a wanderer, a traveller of sorts. Before the Blight I had spent my time studying in Orlais. When I received word that Ferelden was in danger, I had gathered my belongings and travelled home. It was a long and arduous journey. Upon arriving in the Frostback Mountains, I learned of my family's fate. Hope sprang anew, however, when I heard that Aedan Cousland, conscripted to the Grey Wardens, had stopped over in Orzammar and was rallying an army to fight against the Blight. My heart swelled at the news. Darling Aedan. The dwarven folk allowed me to stay in their land for a time. After undergoing their Proving, I was a welcome addition to the Diamond Quarter. King Bhelen set up living quarters in his palace. I was happy to stay in his home, and he asked for naught in return. Perhaps he knew of my relationship with Aedan, I'll never know for sure. I wanted to join in the fight against the darkspawn, I hungered for battle. Life in Orlais had been dull, and I was chomping at the bit. Bhelen felt this would be too risky, however, and advised me to stay in Orzammar and assist in the battle by fighting the darkspawn from below the surface.

News came of the fall of the archdemon. Ferelden had been saved. The one responsible for slaying the beast, however, had perished. My heart hammered in my chest as I was told that the Warden in question had been Aedan. I was broken. I wept for days, damning myself for not joining him in his quest. I loved him, yet I had failed him. A funeral was to be held in his honour. I would never make it to Denerim in time. No matter. I would visit his grave. Before leaving, I travelled to Dust Town and received my first and only tattoo. The mark of the casteless. It marred my features, but I wore it with pride. My own personal joke.

It took six months to travel to Denerim, and much had changed. A new king ruled the lands, no Teyrns had been put into place to replace the ones that had died. Amaranthine was now home to the Wardens. I asked after Fergus Cousland, just to be sure. As I had suspected, he had fallen soon after the great battle, overcome by grief. One more regret to add to my list of shortcomings. I visited first Fergus' grave, then the memorial that had been created for Aedan, Hero of Ferelden. It was so odd to think of him in such a way. I had always known that he was special. During our playful sparring sessions as children he'd often told me that he'd do great things when he grew up. He got what he wanted, I suppose. It wasn't long before I met Isabela. She recognized a good recruit when she saw one. She used my skills as a rogue to her advantage. With my quick hands and cunning mind I took to her card scam easily. We travelled from port to port, hustling idiots when we could find them. We had just returned to Denerim when Eamon walked into the Pearl.

* * *

I stand and face the old nobleman. "Eamon," I smile easily. "What brings you to the Pearl? I don't think the Arlessa would approve."

"I'm here to see you, actually. I saw you when you first arrived in Denerim. I saw you visiting…the memorial. I heard that you left with The Siren's Call, and knew that you would soon return. I hired someone to keep an eye out for you." his gaze flickers over my attire. He masks his shock at seeing me in Chasind robes quite well. I fold my arms over my chest, pressing my bosom up and out. I want him to be as uneasy as possible. He's the intruder here, after all.

"Is that so?" I ask, inclining my head slightly. "Well, what can I do for you, _milord_?"

"Can we go somewhere a bit more…private?" he asks.

I sigh exasperatedly and catch Isabela's attention. "Mind if I go below deck for a moment? I have some…things that need sorting out."

Isabela raises an eyebrow but knows better than to ask questions. "Go right ahead, sweet thing." I lead Eamon through to the ship, and below deck. We find an empty room with a small table in it. I gesture for him to have a seat in one of the chairs, and I sit across from him.

"What do you want?" I ask bluntly.

"First I must offer my condole-" he begins. I hold up a hand to stop him. He clears his throat. "Very well. Then I shall get to the point. As you are no doubt aware, Ferelden has a new king." I grunt by way of reply. "He's not used to the ways of the court. He was raised a commoner. A Grey Warden. He was very good friends with Aedan. Did you know that?" I shake my head. "Regardless, Aedan had begun to show him the ropes once it was decided that Alistair, that's his name in case you were unaware, was slated to be king." As he's speaking I've extracted one of my daggers. I twirl it idly, something I've been known to do when I'm nervous or deep in thought. Eamon doesn't seem too put off by my twirling.

"What does this have to do with me?" I ask.

Eamon inhales deeply. "I was hoping that perhaps you could reclaim your title and continue to tutor the king. You've always had a very good head for politics, and-"

"No," I say simply.

"I know that you and Aedan were close-"

"Close?" I say incredulously. I feel my ire beginning to rise. "Close?! I felt the _exact_ moment that he died. It felt like my heart had been ripped in two. He was a _part of me._ We shared a _soul_. Do you know how it feels to be a part of someone your entire life only to have them ripped away because of some foolish sense of duty? Aedan was the blood of my blood. I was born only minutes before him, but I was still the eldest. I should have protected him!"

"My lady…Elissa, please. You must understand. Aedan would have wanted you to reclaim your place in Highever. He would have wanted-"

"You know nothing of what my brother wanted. He would have wanted me to be happy. I don't want any part of your twisted politics. Look where it got my family. They're all dead." I growl.

"But Elissa, you are the last surviving Cousland. You have a duty-" Eamon stammers.

"Do not speak to me of duty, old man. Go back to your king and tell him I'm not interested in titles." I spit maliciously.

"He does not know I'm here," he says sadly. "He doesn't even know you exist. Though I can imagine he'd be quite happy to know that his fallen brother at arms has a surviving twin sister."

"I'm sure the king has more important things to worry about," I snort.

"Very well," Eamon stands and turns to leave. "I do hope you'll reconsider, my lady."

"Don't hold your breath," I say acidly.

I sit and twirl my dagger for a time, lost in thought. I almost don't hear Isabela enter.

"Elissa? Are you alright?" she asks. I look up at her. She must be worried if she's referring to me by name.

"I'm fine," I reassure her.

"Who was that man?"

"No one," I reply. "No one at all."


	2. Tournament

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **Just a little note - Elissa may seem a bit rough in front of nobility. Even though she should know better, due to her emotional state she just doesn't care. So she may address people with a tad more disrespect than she should. In other words, her snarkiness is entirely intentional.

* * *

**Tournament**

Several days pass before I am sought out by another visitor. This one seems to know Isabela, which I suppose works in his favour.

I was sitting in my usual spot in the Pearl, twirling away at my dagger when Isabela approaches me with an attractive blond elf in tow. "Hello, sweet thing. You have another visitor. You're quite popular it seems," Isabela smiles.

"News to me," I grunt. I stay seated in my chair but kick the seat across from me, offering this new patron a place to sit. The elf takes the hint and slides into the chair with catlike grace. He bears the facial markings that many Dalish elves possess, but he seems to carry himself with a more swarthy presence where most of the Dales moved in a constant state of alert. Not that I had much experience with them, though I had met a few in my travels. "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Zevran," he replies. Judging by his accent he's definitely Antivan. How fascinating. "Am I correct in assuming that you are Lady Elissa?" He cocks an eyebrow at me.

I lean back in my chair, balancing my weight on the back legs. "Your assumption would be correct. Tell me, what business does an Antivan elf have with me?"

Zevran doesn't reply right away. He gazes at me for a time, as though he's assessing me. "You have his eyes, and definitely his nose. The resemblance ends there."

"I take it you're referring to my brother?" I venture. "Well, all Couslands have green eyes. My older brother and I were born with brown hair, whereas Aedan's was blond. Is that why you're here, to talk about my brother? Because to be quite honest, I'm in no mood to reminisce with people I don't know."

The elf laughs softly. "He told me you were a mouthy one. I suppose I should not be surprised," he pauses, seeming to collect his thoughts. "I travelled with your brother, my dear. He and I were…quite close." Oh, how silly of me. My expression softens.

"My brothers always had a thing for Antivans. Fergus married an Antivan woman, and it would seem that Aedan…" I smile wryly. "I'm sorry. I should have realised. I had heard from several sources that my brother had found comfort with one of his travelling companions. What can I do for you, Zevran?" Strange how people suddenly change their views on someone when they find out that they had meant something to someone you loved. I know that Aedan was very picky about whom he shared his bed with, and if he had shared his bed with this elf, then he was surely someone special and ought to be treated with respect.

"I cared for your brother a great deal. He meant…well, I won't go into the gory details of our love life. Before the final battle, he left something with me. He told me that should he die, I was to seek you out and deliver it to you." Zevran reaches into a pouch that hangs at his side. He extracts a roll of parchment that bears the royal seal. I raise an eyebrow. "He was staying with the king in his final days. Looks like he partook in the king's stationary as well," I shrug a shoulder and break the wax seal. My breath hitches as I recognize Aedan's scrawl immediately. I lean forward in the chair. My eyes scan the contents of the letter.

_My darling sister,_

_If you're reading this, then I have no doubt met my end. It's very strange to think that I won't be with you once all of this is over. When I had heard that you were safe in Orzammar I could barely contain my joy. I always knew you were a survivor Ellie. You are as much a part of me as I am a part of you. Please don't mourn me. It was my choice. We are Couslands, and we must abide by our duty above all else. I had a sacred duty to end the Blight, and I shall fulfill that duty with pride. Which brings me to the heart of this letter._

_I know not of our brother Fergus' fate. I had last heard that he was scouting in the Kocari Wilds. I can only presume that he has perished. If this is indeed true, then you are the last surviving Cousland. Make our parents proud sister. Show those corrupt nobles what we're made of. You are a bright and beautiful woman, and I know that you will do well as the new Teyrna of Highever. If you should require any assistance, look no further than the man delivering this letter to you. He is a dear friend, and I love him truly. He kept me warm and whole on many cold nights. You can trust him implicitly. _

_Finally, should you choose to take up your rightful place in Highever, I ask one last favour of you. Help Alistair. He is a good man, and was a friend and brother to me. I had begun to show him the ways of court, but he is not like the smarmy nobles that wish to gain his favour. He will not know who to trust, nor who to turn to in matters of politics. He does not know about you, but I daresay that he will take an immediate liking to you. You are quite bossy after all, and he seems to like that sort of thing. _

_I love you with all of my heart, Ellie-bear. Do not let my death ruin the magnificent life that you can have. I have complete and utter faith in you, and I know that you will do me proud. _

_All of my love,_

_Aedan_

I hold the letter to my chest. I don't notice the tears trickling down my cheeks. "Damn you, Aedan." I whisper softly. Zevran reaches forward, wiping the tears from my cheeks with his thumb.

"He asked that I give you something else," he murmurs. He's holding an amulet. "While we were in search of the Urn of Sacred Ashes, Aedan received this amulet from your father." My eyes widen. "Perhaps a _vision_ of your father would be a more accurate description. It was the last gift your father could give from…well, where ever it is that we go when we pass. It is called 'Reflection' I believe." I take the amulet from him and run my fingers over it.

"Thank you," I smile sadly at Zevran. "Well, looks like Aedan's final wish was for me to be the Teyrna," I snort derisively. "I really don't want to have to go back to Eamon and tell him I've changed my mind. Makes me look weak."

"I have a possible solution, if I may?" Zevran tilts his head to one side. I motion for him to continue. "There is a tournament to be held in your brother's honour. The winner of the tournament is to be awarded a boon by the king himself. I suggest that you enter the tournament, win, and demand that you be reinstated as the Teyrna of Highever. You will gain the respect of the people for winning at the tournament, and it will send a clear message to the other nobles – that you are a force to be reckoned with."

I lean back in my chair once again, contemplative as I twirl my dagger. "You know, I think that's an excellent idea. When is the tournament?"

"In two days," Zevran replies. "That doesn't give you much time to train…"

"I've been keeping up with my training; occasionally Isabela tosses a brute my way when she's engaged in one of her duels." I say with some indignation.

"Be that as it may, perhaps you and I should spar. Bar fights are a tad different from the adversaries you will face in the tournament," he suggests.

"Alright, alright. Maybe you can teach me a couple of tricks while you're at it," I wink at him playfully.

"My darling Elissa, when I'm through with you, you'll be the deadliest blade in all of Ferelden."

* * *

The tournament was to be held at the Arl of Redcliffe's estate in Denerim. A large crowd of observers gathered, nobles and commoners alike. I am mildly nervous about the upcoming fights, though Zevran assures me that I can easily take them all out. There are five battles in total, and being the newest participant I need to be in the first fight. I approach the battle master.

"What name will you be fighting under?" he asks lazily.

"Elissa of Highever," I reply. He looks up, clearly surprised that there is a woman participant. His gaze falters on my attire.

"Will you be needing any…vestments?" His eyebrows have lifted so high that they're practically past his receding hairline.

I spare a glance down at my usual battle robes. Why is it that men are always so uncomfortable about Chasind robes? I'll never understand. "No I'm fine. What I'm wearing will suffice."

"Aren't you concerned that you'll-erm-fall out during the fight?" he asks, signalling toward my chest.

I shoot him a wolfish grin. "It's never happened before."

"Whatever you say," he says uncertainly. "Alright, you'll be fighting Ser Carson first. _If _you win, you'll fight Ser Mordrin. I doubt you'll get that far, but after that is Ser Lindon, and then Ser Conley. Final battle is against the king."

My eyes widen. "What the bloody…I'm expected to fight the king? That's hardly fair. No one will want to best him. How are we supposed to secure this 'boon' he's promised the winner?"

The battle master chuckles. "That's the point, love. Now you'd best get into the ring. The battle's about to begin."

* * *

Maker's breath, these blokes are tough to beat. Zevran offers me a skin of water after I've defeated Ser Conley. I shoot him an angry glance. "Did you know the final bout is against the flaming king?"

"I may have left that part out by accident," he grins impishly.

"You're full of shit," I mutter. "Is he any good?"

"Now that is a good question. Is Alistair a good fighter? Without a doubt. He fights with sword and shield. He uses his strength to his advantage, so you'll need to rely on cunning and speed," the elf's gaze darts to one side. "That's him."

I don't see much of Ferelden's new king. He's already in full armour, and his helmet covers most of his face. He is certainly striking and incredibly intimidating in his royal armour. I try to convince myself that the heavy plate will only slow him down. "This should be good," I wrinkle my nose.

"Are you going to let him win?" Zevran asks.

"You've got to be kidding. I don't care who he is. He wanted to fight? He'll get a fight." I snarl. The crier announces the start of the battle and I approach the center of the ring.

The king stands approximately a head taller than I, and he's lifted his mask to address me.

"Best of luck to you, my lady," he grins. So this is Aedan's fellow Warden? He seems so young…and yet he's the king? Hard to believe.

"The name's Elissa, and you're the one who needs luck on his side," I retort. "If you think I'm going to throw this match because you're the king, you've got another thing coming." I unsheathe my daggers and twirl them idly.

"I'm relieved to hear you say that actually," his smile becomes wider. "Enough chatter. Let's do this."

The fight begins, and we circle each other wearily. I wait for him to make the first move. He does so by way of bashing his shield into me. I anticipate the move, and though I take the hit, I lower my shoulder slightly, allowing my left bicep to take the brunt of the force. I stumble back slightly, though when he follows through with his shield arm he leaves me an opening. I whip forward, my dulled blade poking into his right side. Though there is no penetration, it's sure to leave him with a bruise.

The fight is far from finished. I block several of his sword swings, playing on the defensive. I dart from side to side, distracting him with false attacks. Eventually he catches on and lunges into me, hitting the side of my face repeatedly with his shield. Stunned but still conscious, I spit out blood. I take a cursory inventory of my teeth with my tongue. Good, all present and accounted for. I give him a feral grin. We've been fighting for quite a while. The crowd cheers and jeers equal parts. I'm certain the king doesn't see it coming when I drop to the ground and hook my leg out, taking his feet from under him. He lands on his rear with a bang and I'm on him in a flash, straddling his chest as my knees pin his arms roughly. I hold both of my daggers to his throat and ask, "Yield?" The king's utter shock is priceless.

"I yield," he murmurs. I hop off of him, offering my hand to help him to his feet. The crowd is cheering loudly. They had wanted a fight, and a fight is what they got. "You are an amazing fighter, my lady," the king says, not bothering to hide the awe in his voice. "As promised, I would like offer you a boon as a reward for your victory."

Here we go…

I raise my voice so as to be heard by all present. "I wish for one thing, and one thing only: for Highever to be under the control of the Couslands once again. As such, I will reclaim my place in the royal court with my rightful title, Elissa Cousland, Teyrna of Highever." I hear several shocked gasps.

The king is in even more shock than before. Eamon comes from out of nowhere and stands by the king's side. "It is true, your majesty. This is Elissa Cousland, daughter of Bryce and Eleanor Cousland and twin sister of Aedan Cousland."

"Very well," the king intones. "I will grant you this boon," he turns to face the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honour that I present to you her Ladyship, Elissa Cousland, Teyrna of Highever!" Many shouts and cheers are heard throughout the audience. Well, it's better than booing I suppose. The king tilts his head toward Eamon and mutters almost inaudibly. "You know, you could have told me about her."

"I was going to, sire. But when she showed up for the tournament, I admit that my curiosity got the better of me. I apologize for this shocking turn of events." Despite Eamon's words I can tell he's happy about what has just transpired.

"Apology accepted," the king replies. His attention focuses on me. "I think you and I should have a chat. We have much to discuss."

"Of course," I reply. "Send word when you're ready to see me. I'm staying at the Pearl."

The king blinks. "Perhaps you should be staying somewhere more suitable to your…"

"I appreciate your concern, but all of my belongings are there." I wrinkle my nose. "Besides, where else would I stay?"

"Well, until we get Highever back in working order, I imagine you could stay at the palace," Eamon ventures. "That is, of course, if it's alright with his majesty?"

"Yes of course," the king replies easily. "I'm anxious to get to know Aedan's sister. You're always welcome in my home."

"Thanks," I say. "You'll have to pardon my manners. I'm always a bit brusque after battle. When next we meet, I promise I'll behave in a manner more befitting a lady." I grin wickedly. "Or at least, I'll try."

Eamon chuckles. "We shall send word as soon as the preparations at the palace have been made. It shouldn't take long."

I nod. "Many thanks." I incline my head to the king. "Great fight, sire. You sure know how to wield your sword." My double entendre is not lost on him. His cheeks take on a rosy hue. "I'll see you soon, gentlemen." I only just catch the king's words to Eamon.

"Andraste's blood, she's so much like Aedan! Only with a sharper tongue - and prettier."

I laugh under my breath and trot off toward Zevran. Noble life awaits, and I plan on getting besotted on my last night as a commoner.


	3. Midnight Snack

**Disclaimer: **I do not own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **We get to see a bit of a softer side of Elissa in this chapter...But she's still cheeky as hell.

* * *

**Midnight Snack**

The art of sneaking is a fine one indeed. My stomach wakes me in the wee hours of the morning. I pull on a sleeping gown and creep out of my room. I hate the way the linen chafes against my skin, but I'll have to put up with it while sleeping in the palace. I may be immodest, but I'm not stupid, and walking around the palace late at night in a state of undress would probably lead to nothing but trouble. So chafing linens will have to be tolerated. I wander the halls for what seems like an eternity.

Damn it, I'm lost.

Looks like I'll have to ask a guard for directions. I see a young sentry stationed near the main hall entrance. I pad over to him, my bare feet slapping against the cold concrete floor.

"'Scuse me," I address the guard. "Where's the kitchen? I'm famished."

"Servants are not to enter the larder outside of designated meal preparation times," the guard replies in a bored voice.

"Riiight," comes my reply. "But let's say I was someone important, like the king, where would I find the larder?"

The guard gives me an incredulous look. "How could you be the king? You're a woman."

"I see nothing gets by you. Clearly you're destined for something far greater than a simple royal guard," I wrinkle my nose. "Now kindly direct me to the kitchen."

"How dare you address your betters with such disrespect?!" the guard sputters.

I roll my eyes and turn on my heel. "Oh sod it, I'll find the bloody kitchen myself."

It takes a bit of time, but I eventually find myself in the kitchen. Much to my dismay, the larder is locked. Always come prepared, is my motto. I reach into my hair and extract one of the pins that holds it up. I deftly pick the lock and let loose a cry of victory. I search the contents of the larder, momentarily awed by the sheer volume of food. My eyes settle on something I'd been craving since my arrival in Ferelden. Something that I always wanted but could never find.

"Orlesian cheddar," I murmur reverently. My gaze darts over my shoulder to ensure that I'm alone. Without further ado I grab the slab of cheese and several rolls of bread. There are several bottles of wine lined against one wall and I grab the least expensive vintage. I don't want to push my luck after all. I spread my feast out on the kitchen table and find a small cheese knife. I begin slicing into the fine cheddar. I drop the first piece into my mouth and chew slowly, savouring every bit. I pay no mind to the mewling sounds that I'm making while I eat.

"You know, I once sentenced a man to death for stealing my cheese," comes a voice from behind me.

Uh oh, busted. I plaster on a grin and turn, cheeks puffed up and full of cheese. "Mmf mmrf?"

"That's what he said, actually." The king is leaning against the doorframe, smiling widely. "I take it you found what you're looking for?" He cocks an eyebrow, arms folded over his broad chest.

I take a sip of wine and swallow my mouthful of cheddar. "Sorry about that, your majesty. I was simply starving and…well when I saw the Orlesian cheddar, I just couldn't resist. I take it the guard ratted me out?"

"Please, call me Alistair. All of that "your majesty" stuff drives me insane. And yes, a rather disgruntled guard woke me and informed me that a crass and scantily clad serving wench was attempting to break into the larder. I figured that it had to be you," he says.

I look down at my nightgown and snort. "I am not scantily clad. At least I had the decency to put on some clothes before venturing down here." I grin when his ears turn a delicious shade of pink. Oh how I love to embarrass noblemen.

Alistair clears his throat. "Yes, well, I set him straight and told him that you're my guest as well as the Teyrna of Highever. He was quite apologetic. I do believe he's waiting outside of your quarters for a chance to grovel at your feet."

"Oh, Maker's breath, are you serious? I think I'll stay in the larder for the duration of the night then," I glance down at my midnight snack and then return my gaze to Alistair. "Would you care to join me in the meantime? I figure we ought to become acquainted with one another if we're to work closely together at court."

His easy smile returns. He's quite handsome actually. A bit more rugged than his half brother from what I recall. "I'd love to," he replies. He takes a seat across from me and I offer him a generous slice of cheese. "So I take it you're a fellow cheese aficionado?" he asks playfully.

"Oh yes," I say. "Aedan teased me mercilessly when we were children. He told me all the cheese I ate would go straight to my hips. He didn't share in my obsession, apparently."

He points to my facial tattoo. "Any reason you saw fit to mark yourself as casteless?"

"Kind of my own personal joke. Got it when I was staying in Orzammar and heard about…well about Aedan passing on."

"I think I understand," Alistair replies sombrely. "To be honest, I felt the same way when he died. He was like a brother to me and - I'm sorry, I shouldn't be bringing this up. It must be very painful for you, my lady."

"It's Elissa, and no. I would like to hear about his travels as a Grey Warden actually. That part of his life is lost to me, and any memories you could share…well I would love to hear about them." Why am I opening up to this man? I hardly know him, and he's the king of all things.

"Well, there was this one time, you may actually be able to relate considering you were staying at the Pearl. We went there - and no, before you say anything, it wasn't for _that reason._ We went because we'd heard there was a master duelist, and Aedan was bent on learning the skill. This was before we met up with Zevran, who probably would have made things a lot easier, considering he was actually friends with the duelist in question. So Aedan asks the duelist if she'll teach him, and she says the only way is by besting her at a game of cards. Aedan was horrible at cards however, so she says she'll teach him for a more _personal_ favour-"

I nearly choke on my wine. "_You're_ Ser Lance-A-Lot?!"

His eyes widen. "Ser what?!"

I can't contain my laughter any longer. "When-when Isabela had said she'd bedded a Grey Warden, I never thought---I never thought---" I'm doubled over in hysterics.

"Hey! Did I say it was me?! It could have very well been your brother that slept with her!" he says indignantly.

I manage to pull myself together and say between giggles, "no way, your majesty. That's one thing Aedan and I had in common. We only sleep with men." I wipe away the tears of laughter that have begun rolling down my cheeks. "She still goes on about you, you know. I of course heard about it months after the fact, but to this day she speaks wistfully of her night with the mighty Grey Warden, Ser Lance-A-Lot."

Alistair is grinning, despite my laughing at his expense. "Well, at least I've managed to secure a _good _reputation at the Pearl. I can't imagine being referred to as Ser Lance-A-Little." I break into another bout of laughter, holding onto his shoulder to steady myself. He's smiling widely at me. "You're very pretty when you laugh, even if you're laughing at me," he says mildly.

"Thank you, your-erm-Alistair. I haven't laughed like that in ages." I take another sip of wine.

"It was my pleasure, Elissa. I quite enjoyed our little chat, actually," he remarks. "It's good to have someone around that treats me like an actual person rather than a-"

"A king?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, that," he replies.

"Well, I give you my word. In public, I shall treat you as any other lowly subject treats her king. In private, however, you'll just be Alistair, one of the boys." I raise my glass to him as a sign of my intent to follow through with said deal.

"I'd like that, I really would," he gazes at me strangely then. I clear my throat.

"Right, I'd best get to bed. Wouldn't want people to start rumours about the new Teyrna and the king carrying on in the larder after hours," I say with a wink.

"No, perish the thought," he says. Hm. I don't like the devious grin he's giving me. I cast one last friendly smile in his direction and set out for my room.

I swear I won't get lost this time.


	4. Reunion

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **I'm very glad that Elissa is well liked. As you'll come to notice, she tends to don her 'noble' mask from time to time for appearances sake. I just wanted to make that clear so people don't mistake it as an inconsistency in the characterization.

* * *

**Reunion**

The next couple of days at the palace are mostly filled with my catching up on politics, as well as conversing with Zevran in my spare time. We speak mostly of Aedan, his life before becoming a Warden, and his life after becoming one. I had sent a request to the king asking that Zevran be able to stay in the guest quarters adjoining my own. He had complied, to my great satisfaction.

One thing I did find very humorous about the king, or Alistair as he preferred to be called, was his insistence at sending a cheese plate to my room every night. Every eve like clockwork since our chat in the larder, a servant came to my door with a silver plate of several assortments of cheese. Not that I was complaining, I delighted in every bite.

I'm savouring my nightly cheese and sipping a fine Antivan red wine when I hear a knock at my door. "Who is it?" I call out.

"Message from the king," comes the reply. I slip on a blue silk robe (apparently Alistair saw fit to have several garments sent to my room as well. I'd have to have a chat with him about that, I can shop on my bloody own!) and answer the door. A young page is looking up at me. He hands me a piece of parchment bearing the royal seal and bows his head.

"Just one second," I say. I turn and jog over to my coin purse. I extract five silvers and hand it to the page. "Thank you very much, ser." I smile.

He gapes at me, staring down at the coin. "I-I can't accept this milady!" he stammers.

"Nonsense," I wave my hand at him dismissively. "You are paid for your services, are you not? Well, consider this as payment for services rendered."

"But-but milady I am already paid by-"

"Very well, if it pleases you then perhaps in future, should I require your assistance with something, you will need to fulfill that obligation. Does that sound fair?" I give him a sideways grin.

"Of course, milady!" he exclaims.

"Right then, off you go! Wouldn't want to anger those nasty noblemen. I know how crotchety they can be," I wink at him playfully. He giggles and runs off. I chuckle under my breath. I kick the door shut and tear open the letter.

_Teyrna Cousland,_

_I require your presence in my study immediately for a meeting of the utmost importance. I apologize for the short notice. _

_Many thanks,_

_His Royal Majesty, _

_King Alistair Theirin_

_P.S.- I also apologize for this poncy letter._

I laugh at the last part. Well, if there's to be a meeting, I best wear something presentable. I'm supposed to be a noblewoman after all. I throw open my closet and sift through my garments. I finally settle on a flouncy black skirt and a cream coloured blouse. I pin my brown hair into a bun and don my worn leather boots and slide a dagger into the hidden scabbard of the left boot. Old habits die hard.

It doesn't take me long to find the study, and I'm about to knock on the door when I hear a heated conversation taking place. I press my ear to the door.

"With all due respect sire, I do not think it wise to appoint a Teyrna to Highever so quickly. The Cousland name was very well respected, and the members of the royal council will not take kindly to such a decision." Says one slightly familiar voice.

"Teagan, were you even here for the tournament? Because if you were-" I recognize that as Eamon's voice.

"You know full well I've only just arrived. I only heard word of the king appointing some woman that won the tournament as Teyrna. As much as I respect his majesty's wisdom, I cannot-"

Alright, enough eavesdropping. Time to put a stop to this foolish argument. I throw open the doors and lean against the doorframe, a smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. "Well if it isn't Bann Tea-time!" I say affectionately.

The three men in the room, Eamon, Alistair and Teagan all turn abruptly. Eamon smiles, Alistair is stifling a laugh behind his hand, and Teagan is staring at me wide-eyed.

"Maker's breath, Elissa? Can it really be you?" Teagan gasps.

"In the flesh," I wander over to him and he pulls me into a tight embrace. "It's good to see you again," I murmur.

"I had thought you'd died with your family in Highever! Oh my lady, I'm so sorry for your loss," the sorrow in his voice is genuine.

"Thank you, but let's not dwell on it," I release him and turn to Eamon and Alistair. "I was told there was an urgent meeting that required my presence?"

Alistair clears his throat, somewhat taken aback by the familiarity that Teagan has shown me. "Yes, we're terribly sorry to have interrupted your evening Lady Elissa, but we have a bit of a…problem. Perhaps you can explain it, Eamon?"

"Very well, your majesty. Lady Elissa, I'm not sure if you're aware, but recently my son began to show signs of being a mage," he pauses and gauges my reaction. I maintain my stoicism. "As you know, when someone of noble blood is found to be a mage, they are stripped of their title and sent to the Circle of Magi. This will prove to be a problem, given the fact that he is my sole heir. At my age I doubt that producing another child will be possible."

Ah, I see where this is going. "So you want to pass a ruling that states mages will not be stripped of their titles."

"In order to do that, I'll need to grant autonomy to the Circle," Alistair says. "Now, I can easily do that without the consent of the other members of the council…"

"But if they're against it, it could cause an uproar and you could lose a lot of support," I finish for him. "I see your dilemma."

"As it stands Eamon and Teagan will support the idea, and we were hoping that you would as well," Alistair continues. "If we can get even one other member to throw in with us, we should have enough sway to avoid any real conflict."

"Well, I tend to agree with you. I don't see any reason why mages shouldn't have titles. I've never understood the Chantry's reasoning there," I wrinkle my nose and slide into a nearby chair. I extract the dagger from my boot and begin twirling it idly. "Who are the key players here…" I murmur. I mentally run through the list based on what I'd studied the past few days. I immediately rule out Bann Alfstanna. Her late brother was a templar and she would most certainly oppose the suggestion. Bann Vaughan is a complete lecher, so I could perhaps use my feminine wiles to lure him in…

"I heard that Bann Sighard's wife is with child. Is this true?" I ask.

"Why, yes, she is. Does that matter?" Teagan tilts his head to one side.

"It might," I reply. "Let me think about this for the night. I may have a plan." I replace my dagger and stand, clasping my hands together. "Is that everything? Because I have a heaping plate of cheese to get back to, and I'm on the last chapter of _The Rose of Orlais_."

Teagan raises his eyebrows, a knowing smile graces his features. Alistair's ears have taken on their usual red tint and Eamon seems unsurprised by my choice in reading materials.

"If your Ladyship is retiring for the evening, could I have the honour of escorting you to your room?" Teagan asks.

"I suppose, but no cheese for you. It's bad enough I had to share with Zevran yesterday," I grumble. I bow my head to Alistair and he gives a strained smile. I wonder what's up with him? Teagan links an arm with mine and leads me from the study.

"Elissa, it's been far too long. You're looking as lovely as ever," Teagan gazes at me as we walk toward my room.

"Always the charmer, eh Tea-time?" I wink at him playfully. "How have you been? Are there little Teagans running about in Rainesfere?"

Teagan chuckles. "No, I'm afraid not. I've not married yet. I doubt any woman would put up with me."

"I find that hard to believe. When we were children I seem to remember a harem of girls surrounding you," I elbow his side. "I'll admit, at the time I was horribly jealous. Don't tell anyone though, I've built up this 'ice queen' reputation, and I intend to keep it."

"Hm. I'll have to remember that," he grins at me. We arrive at my bedroom door.

"Well, this is where I say goodnight," I smile up at Teagan. "It was great seeing you again. Especially after so long."

He licks his lips as he gazes down at me, and I can tell he's suddenly very nervous. "If I may be so bold, might I ask if you have any plans tomorrow evening?"

I tilt my head inquisitively. "Not that I'm aware of, why?"

"I thought perhaps you would do me the honour of joining me at the Arl's estate for dinner? It would be just the two of us," he asks.

"Well I should hope it would just be the two of us. I can't imagine having dinner with both you and Eamon at the same time. Talk about an odd combination," I laugh inwardly at the image. "As far as dinner with you…sure, why not? A girl has to eat sometime." I smile at him.

"Wonderful. I shall have a carriage sent to pick you up," he reaches down and grasps my hand, bringing it to his lips. He kisses my wrist softly and my skin tingles at the contact. I can feel my chest and cheeks flush. His eyes sparkle mischievously. He's enjoying the effect that he's having on me.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I say breathily. He releases my hand gingerly and my arm falls to my side. Without another word I turn and enter my room, closing the door softly behind me. I lean against the door and mentally berate myself for behaving like a blushing school girl. I try to ignore the fact that my wrist still burns from his kiss.


	5. Rendez Vous

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N:** Okay, I thought I'd put this out there right now. In this tale, Alistair is still goofy and such, but he's got a lot more confidence than he did during the playthrough of DA:O. Maybe his personality is hardened. Yeah, we'll go with that. So some of his actions may seem OOC. Let's just say he now goes for what he wants. *Whistles*

Also, since we don't see a whole lot of Teagan, I'd like some reader thoughts on how you'd like his personality to be portrayed. Cheeky? Timid? Slightly dominant? Message me and let me know, I'm always open to suggestion. ;D

* * *

**Rendez-Vous**

The next morning I make my way to the servants' quarters. It doesn't take me long to find the young page that had delivered the message to me the previous night.

"Good morning, milady," he says, obviously surprised to see me.

"Morning…I'm sorry I never got your name," I smile at him good naturedly.

"Bevin, milady," he replies.

"Pleased to meet you, Bevin. My name is Elissa. Now, I came down here for a reason. I was hoping that you might be able to help me with something. If you manage to do it, there's five more silvers in it for you," I wink at him.

His eyes widen and he nods his head. "Yes of course milady. What do you need me to do?"

"Bann Sighard just arrived this morning to attend a council meeting tomorrow. All I want to know is where he plans on taking his afternoon tea. Once you've found out, you can find me in my quarters until just after lunch time," I explain. "And Bevin, I'm sure that I don't have to tell you that this is a very discreet matter. Just between the two of us." I tap my nose conspiratorially.

"I won't tell a soul, milady. You can count on me," he says, his voice ultra serious.

"Wonderful. I'll see you later then," I smile and return to my quarters.

A couple of hours pass and I hear a knock at my door. I answer and much as I expect, it's Bevin. "Have any news for me, Bevin?"

He nods, leaning in to whisper. "Bann Sighard will be taking his tea in the salon later this afternoon."

I smile. "Thank you, lad. Here are the five silvers I promised." I drop the coins into his hand and he smiles up at me widely. "One final request," I quickly scrawl down a note to the king asking him to meet me in his study in the late afternoon. "Can you please deliver this to His Majesty?"

"Of course, and thank you milady! If you ever need anything else, let me know!" He's off like a shot. I chuckle at his enthusiasm. One thing I'd learned from my time as both a noble and a commoner is that well paid and appreciated servants will always go above and beyond the call of duty.

Part one of my plan is in the works. It was time for the second part to begin. I wander to my closet and once again browse my clothes. If my plan is to succeed I'll need to find something a tad revealing, yet not too distasteful. I contemplate donning the Chasind robes, but quickly dismiss the idea. I want to appear every bit the 'lady' that I am, and not be too intimidating. My gaze settles on a crimson dress fashioned out of crushed velvet. It has a plunging neckline, but not so low as to be vulgar. I slide the dress over my head and take a look at my reflection in the mirror on my vanity. The dress seems to accentuate my curves, and that's good enough for me. I decide to keep my hair pinned up to showcase my long slender neck. When I'm quite satisfied with my work I leave the palace and head toward the Denerim Market District. I have much to do this afternoon and very little time to do it.

* * *

The Gnawed Noble Tavern was not overly crowded. I had made sure to appear forlorn upon entering just in case the man I was looking for spotted me outright. It seemed my luck was paying out.

"Lady Elissa," Vaughn purred. "What a lovely surprise. Please, join me in a drink." The fact that Vaughn was a regular at the tavern was no secret, and I had been banking on his being there this afternoon.

"Thank you, milord. It would be a pleasure," I force a sad smile. He's seated at a booth, and I opt to sit next to him. I want physical contact to be readily available should the need arise.

"You seem distressed, milady. Whatever is the problem?" he asks. It's show time.

I let loose an exaggerated sigh, playing the part of the damsel in distress. A role I happen to loathe. "You see milord, I had a meeting with His Majesty yesterday, and he told me something quite…perturbing…" I bite my lower lip.

"And what did the king say that got your pretty little head all worried?" he slides an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. Ugh, insipid moron…

"It was about mages of all things," I let the pitch of my voice rise slightly. "Apparently old Arl Eamon's son is a mage, and they're going to send him to that wretched tower and strip him of his title!"

"Well, my dear, mages can be dangerous," he says. Yeah, no kidding, moron.

"Yes, I know milord. It just seems so sad that the Arl will no longer have an heir. And to think that such a thing could happen to someone of noble blood. It could happen to anyone!" I let loose a gasp. "It could happen to me! I cannot imagine having to go through such a terrible ordeal. It almost makes me not want to partake in the act of making a child, just in order to avoid the trauma!" I gaze up at him, my lips pouting slightly.

"That would be a terrible shame," Vaughn remarks, his voice now thick with lust. He's so bloody easy.

"Well, I suppose there is some hope…" I say mildly.

"What do you mean?" Vaughn asks.

"Apparently the king is going to put something forth for vote. It will allow auto-autono-" I stumble on my words purposely.

"Autonomy?" Vaughn offers.

"Yes that. Autonomy to the Circle of Magi so that mages can retain their titles. I do hope that it goes over well…" I sigh.

"Well, milady, I will be attending the council meeting tomorrow, and if the king proposes such a thing, I will most assuredly support it." He shoots me a lascivious grin and strokes my shoulder. "So you can put your worries at rest."

"Oh, thank you milord! You have no idea how much better that makes me feel," I bat my eyelashes. "Perhaps we can meet later and- Oh Maker, is it almost tea time? I promised that I would meet Bann Sighard," I roll my eyes. "He probably wants to discuss something incredibly boring." I slide out of the booth and manage an expression of mock regret. "We should continue our drink at a later time, yes?"

Vaughn nods eagerly. "Of course, milady. We can discuss it after the meeting tomorrow."

"I can't wait," I smile and wink at him. Blegh. I turn and leave the tavern, my task having been accomplished. On to the next part of my plan.

* * *

When I arrived at the king's study, two guards are posted on wither side of the double doors. I wonder idly where they were last night during the meeting. I shrug and address one of them. "Is His Majesty in his study? I believe he is expecting me? Teyrna Elissa Cousland?"

The guard that I address nods, "yes my ladyship. He said to go on in."

"Thanks," I smile and enter the study. I close the doors behind me and see that the king is seated at his desk, perusing several documents. "I swear, I'd go nuts if every where I went guards followed me about like lapdogs," I say by way of greeting.

"Yes, it is quite annoying," he says without looking up. "Now what can I do-" he glances at me and his mouth drops open.

"What?" I ask irritably. "Do I have something on my face?" I place my hands on my hips.

"I-I've just never seen you dressed so…" he swallows audibly. "You just caught me off guard. Forgive me."

"Oh, that." I look down at my dress. "You'll have to forgive _me_. I had a rendez-vous with Bann Vaughn and I thought he'd like this kind of thing. Normally I'd be wearing something less…prissy." I wrinkle my nose.

"It's quite becoming, actually. It flatters your figure…" he trails off as his gaze moves from my eyes and descends hungrily over the rest of me. He shakes his head, snapping out of whatever stupor he's in. "I'm sorry, what was it that you were doing with Vaughn? Or do I want to know?"

"Excuse me? I fail to see what business it is of yours." I say heatedly.

Alistair stands and rounds his desk, stopping a mere inches from me. "I think it _is _my business, especially since you've also shown interest in Teagan. You have a reputation to uphold, and I will not have you carrying on like some-" That's when I hit him. I don't slap him, either. I punch him square in the jaw. I hear a cracking sound and I realize with some disappointment that it's the sound of the bones in my knuckle cracking, and not the sound of his jaw breaking. I realize a tad too late that punching the king probably isn't the smartest thing I've ever done.

"Don't you _ever_ speak to me like that again!" I hiss. "I came back to this sodding noble shit as a favour to all of you. Don't for a second think that I will allow you any modicum of control over my personal affairs." My eyes are wide with fury.

Alistair is holding his jaw, and to say that he's shocked would be an understatement. "Well, can't say I was expecting that," he mutters. He wanders over to a nearby closet and pulls out a health poultice. He takes a swig and hands it to me. I shake my head stubbornly. "Oh go on, don't be an idiot. I had that coming, I'll admit. I'm sorry for saying what I did. It was a stupid comment. Now please, take a sip at least. I heard that crack, so your hand is probably broken." I sigh and take the poultice from him with my good hand. I take a short sip and the healing effects are immediate.

"Thanks," I mutter.

"I really am sorry," Alistair says softly.

"Forget it," I grunt. "I'm used to people disappointing me. I actually came to tell you that I had a meeting with Vaughn, and he's going to support you in granting autonomy to the Circle."

His eyes widen. "Are you serious? How did you manage that?"

"I just played the part of the damsel in distress, said I was so sad about the Arl's son, blah blah blah, he said that he'd support your decision," I pause for a moment. "I may have hinted that his support would grant him my favour," I smirk. "Not that I'd ever give him the time of day under normal circumstances. Any man willing to believe that I'm a dimwit is not worth my attention." I stare at Alistair pointedly.

"I appreciate your doing that," he says sheepishly. "Having Vaughn's vote will help a lot."

"I'm not stopping there," I reply. "That's the whole reason why I'm here. You and I are going to the salon for tea."

"Alright. Not that I mind having tea with a beautiful woman, but I get the impression that you have an ulterior motive," he folds his arms over his chest.

"You'll see," I say cryptically. I hold out my arm. "Shall we?"

We arrive at the doors of the salon arm in arm. Before we enter I spy Bann Sighard sitting by himself, sipping a cup of tea. I turn to Alistair and whisper, "Follow my lead," and pull him into the salon.

"Your majesty I can scarcely believe it! But if you say it is so...well I must say that I agree with your assessment whole heartedly!" I say in a moderately loud voice. It's enough to get the Bann's attention. I glance over at Sighard and pretend that I've just noticed his presence. "Oh Bann Sighard, pardon my interrupting your afternoon tea! The king and I were just discussing a rather...interesting matter," I glance up at Alistair. He's doing a good job of maintaining a blank expression.

"What matter might that be?" Sighard asks.

"Well," I begin. "Apparently Arl Eamon's son is a mage," I murmur.

"Yes I'd heard," Sighard replies. "Most unfortunate."

"That's just what I was saying," I nod my head emphatically. "However, His Majesty has come up with an incredible idea, one that I daresay will solve all of our problems!"

"What do you mean _our_ problems?" Sighard asks suspiciously. Alistair is watching this exchange silently.

"Well, milord, if magic can afflict someone such as Connor, who is of noble blood, clearly it can happen to any of us!" One of my hands flies to my mouth in a gesture of mock horror. "In fact, milard, isn't your wife with child? Maker preserve us. We must take whatever steps necessary to ensure your child's safety."

Bann Sighard's eyes widen. "I-I hadn't thought of that..."

"I don't think many people have. I hadn't either, until our king in his infinite wisdom suggested that we grant the Circle of Magi autonomy. That is what you said sire?" I prod.

"Yes," the king replies. "Granting the Circle autonomy will allow mages to retain their titles, thereby ensuring that any past and future mages of noble blood maintain their status. Though I'm not sure how much support I'll receive from the other members of council..."

"Well, you'll certainly have my support," I say immediately.

"And mine," Sighard adds. "I want to secure a good future for my child. If you bring forth such a motion at tomorrow's meeting, I will surely offer my support."

"Oh thank you, Bann Sighard. Your wisdom knows no bounds," I smile prettily and bat my eyelashes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must ready myself for dinner. I will leave you to your tea milord."

"Lady Elissa," Alistair says. "I was hoping to discuss something with you regarding Highever. May I escort you to your chambers?"

I grin. "Certainly, your majesty. It would be an honour." And with that, we leave the salon. Easy as pie. When we're out of earshot, Alistair stops me, grasping my arm gently.

"That was...incredible!" he's grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, it was nothing. I just know how to play their games. Years of watching my father do it has taught me well. Don't get any ideas though. That woman you saw in the salon? That's not really me. I just put that facade on for the sake of...well to further your political agenda. Nothing more." I explain.

"Well, you certainly fooled me," Alistair smiles. "I never thought I'd see you playing the part of a noblewoman so well...I'll need to get some pointers from you."

"That's what I'm here for," I chuckle and poke his side playfully. Wait, I forgot, I'm still a bit miffed at him for his comment earlier. Damn him and his charm.

"So...I heard you have a dinner date with Bann Teagan this evening," We've reached my chambers.

"Yes, you heard right. And I'd better get ready," I turn to open the door. I suddenly feel his hand on my shoulder, holding me in place.

"When he walked you to your room the other night...did he kiss you?" he's whispering now, his voice barely audible.

"I-I don't see how that-" I stutter over my words. Why is he asking me this? He leans in closer, his chest is pressed against my back.

"Did he lean in, press his lips to yours?" I feel the heat of his breath against my neck, his lips practically touching my ear.

"I-no-he didn't kiss me..." I murmur. Alistair's hands are now resting on my shoulders, and he bends down ever so slightly, his lips grazing against the curve of my neck.

"He's a fool for passing up the opportunity to kiss such a beautiful woman," he says huskily. I feel a shiver run down my spine.

"Your majesty-Alistair-we shouldn't...I can't. Not now..." I don't dare turn around, for I know if I do, he'll kiss me, and I'll invite him into my room. I'm not ready for such intimacy. I barely know this man. Instead I open the door, and dart inside like a coward. "I'm sorry, I must leave. I will see you tomorrow at the meeting." I shut the door before he can respond.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?


	6. Dinner And A Gift

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **Thank you to Marwolv for letting me know about the health poultices. *Blush* I blame my complete and utter ignorance on the fact that I'm too busy ogling Alistair in game. Thank you to all for your kind and wonderful reviews. 3

* * *

**Dinner And A Gift**

I didn't have time to change out of my dress for my dinner with Teagan, and I figured that what I was wearing would do in a pinch. I am still slightly taken aback by Alistair's actions, and as I stand with my back to my chamber door I wait for the sound of his retreating footsteps. I let out a sigh of relief when I finally hear his heavy footfalls echoing through the corridor. I take a seat in front of my vanity and am shocked at my reflection. My cheeks are flushed, my pupils are dilated, and wisps of hair have fallen out of place around my neck. I look feverish. I blame my current state on the king and begin grumbling incoherently. I gather my hair into a bun and pin it back into place. No sooner had I arranged my hair the way that I wanted when I hear a knock at the door. My carriage has arrived.

* * *

"Elissa, you look simply ravishing!" Teagan exclaims, his eyes wide with wonder. He strides forward, pulling me into a tight hug.

I bite back a grin. "Yes, I guess I do scrub up nicely from time to time; though I much prefer my battle gear." I take a small step back. He moves his hands from my shoulders and instead clasps my hands.

"You mean those skimpy robes that I heard you wore for the tournament?" he asks, quirking an amused eyebrow.

"Yes, those are the ones! They're very comfortable, and they allow for quick movement," I reply.

"Hm. Well my lady, I'll have to ask you to model them for me some time," he says with a smirk.

"I'm sure you'll see me parading around in them at some point, especially when I finally get around to sparring some of the guards. I've been itching for a fight since arriving at the palace," I confess.

"I was actually imagining a more private setting," his gaze is piercing and he's rubbing the palms of my hands with the pads of his thumbs. I lick my lips and force a light smile despite the quickening of my pulse.

"I'm no gentle flower, Teagan. A private sparring session with me could leave you quite sore, and I daresay injured," I murmur in a sad attempt at deflecting his suggestive proposition. I am in no way a chaste maiden; however I do not jump into the beds of men at the first sign of their showing interest. At the second sign of interest, on the other hand…I am also no fool. I find Teagan attractive, and in earlier days I might have leapt at the opportunity to share his bed. Unfortunately upon reclaiming my title, I will need to be more discreet in such matters.

Double damn you, Aedan.

"I must say that I'm more than willing to take the risk, but I shall cease with this banter. I invited you here for dinner, and so we shall eat. Please accompany me to the dining hall," he grins and holds out his arm and I loop my own in his. When we arrive in the hall, I'm nearly flabbergasted by the spread of food. How can two people eat this much? He notices my expression and laughs heartily.

"I'm afraid that I wasn't sure about your tastes in food, so I had the cooks prepare as much as possible," he explains.

I turn and face him, my eyes suddenly narrowed in anger. "You'd better not waste one morsel of this food. Whatever we don't eat goes to the servants. They deserve to partake in this, especially if they helped in preparing it. I'll quickly decide what I want, and then we'll deliver the rest to them. They shouldn't be eating cold food," my voice is thick with indignation and my hands are placed stubbornly on my hips.

Teagan's blue eyes are twinkling with amusement. "I assure you Elissa, not a scrap will go to waste," he takes a step closer to me, his hands venturing to my neck, delicately grasping it as his thumbs rub my jaw. "I had almost forgotten how stubborn and altruistic you are," he says softly. I wonder idly if all of the men in Ferelden know that my neck is such an erogenous zone for me, for the sensation of his warm hands against the flesh of my neck not only sends chills down my spine, but creates undulating waves of heat in my lower abdomen. What is it with men trying to seduce me today? I smile and take a step back.

"Can't help but be stubborn in this day and age," I reply lamely. "So, where should I sit?"

Teagan smiles easily and motions to a chair to the right of the head of the table. He holds the chair out and slides it beneath me as I sit. For all of his boldness Teagan is ever the gentleman. He sits at the head of the table and we begin to eat. He asks me about my travels throughout Ferelden and my time aboard the Siren's Call. He asks about my tattoo, and my explanation seems to sadden him greatly. It isn't until dessert is served that the true intentions of his invitation are revealed.

"Elissa, I wanted to ask, what do you intend to do in the future?" he asks.

I choose my words carefully, for I know that discussing my political agenda and position in court can be dangerous, even if I am speaking with an old friend. "Well, I had promised to counsel the king for a time, at least until Highever is in working order. I suppose after everything there has been settled, I'll travel home and oversee my teyrnir. Why do you ask?"

"Have you given much thought to raising a family?" Wow, he certainly knows when to go for the throat.

"Honestly, no, I haven't given it much thought. I know that it will be expected of me eventually, but I can hardly establish stability in Highever while heavy with child," I say, a bit more snappishly than I had originally intended.

"You do realize that a great deal of suitors will come knocking at your door," Teagan presses. "And I fear that many will only be interested in the title associated with such a union rather than the woman behind the title." He reaches out one hand and places it over top of mine. My mouth is suddenly dry.

"What are you suggesting?" I know full well what he's suggesting.

"Elissa, we've been friends a long time. I find you to be both cunning and beautiful. You have a way with politics that very few can boast, and…pardon my boldness, but I have never met a woman with such a fiery disposition. I would be a fool not to pursue you." And there it is. The cards have been lain out.

I sigh softly. "Teagan, I am indeed…intrigued by your proposition. It's just that I have so many other things to worry about right now. Romance is the furthest from my mind."

"Then perhaps I will make an effort to bring it to the forefront," he says coyly while squeezing my hand gently.

I laugh despite myself. "You can certainly try, Tea-time. For tonight, however, I fear that I must take my leave. We have a council meeting tomorrow, and I wish to get as much rest as possible."

"Very well, it pains me to see you leave, but I have at least made my intentions clear," Teagan smiles and stands as I move to depart.

"And don't you forget to give all of this food to the serving staff. It was delicious, and if I find out that you held out on them, I'll thrash you like you've never been thrashed before!" I say playfully.

"Somehow I find that threat to be incredibly enticing. You best escape before I hold you here for the night," he smirks. I know when to take a hint. I bid him farewell, pecking him softly on the cheek. He holds me for a moment longer than necessary and releases me to board the carriage.

* * *

"How was dinner with the Bann?" comes the lazy lilt of an Antivan accent. I nearly jump out of my skin.

"Damnit Zev, you scared the shit out of me!" I chide. I had just made to open my bedroom door when the elf had snuck up on me.

"Tsk tsk. Such foul language from such a beautiful lady," he teases.

"I'm _hardly_ a lady, Zev. I think you're more ladylike than I," I retort. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting, my darling Antivan assassin?"

"I had merely come to inquire about your dinner. I wanted to hear if the Bann had proposed marriage," he grins at me.

"How-was it that obvious he was going to make a move?" I ask incredulously.

"Surely you cannot be so naïve, Elissa. Especially given your other potential suitor. The Bann needed to act swiftly," Zevran replies.

"My…my what? My other suitor? I have another one? I hardly even knew that I had one, much less two," I'm slightly mad at myself for being so blind to what's seemingly so obvious to my friend.

"The royal page stopped by your bed chambers while you were away. He entered for just a moment, holding a parcel. When he left he was empty handed. I can only presume that someone left you a gift," he shrugs a shoulder.

I'm slightly miffed that someone entered my room without my knowledge, though I remind myself that this _is _the royal palace, and therefore I have no claim to any real privacy. "Well, I suppose I should venture in and see what was left for me."

I enter my room and hold the door open for Zevran. I see the small package on my bed immediately. It is wrapped in plain brown paper and held together with twine. An envelope is fastened to the package. I wander over to my bed and pick up the 'gift'. I open the envelope and extract the note. I recognize the scrawl.

_Elissa,_

_I apologize for intruding. I do value your privacy, and I wouldn't dream of invading your space under normal circumstances. I guess I just wanted to surprise you with this gift. I know it may be a bit forward on my part, sending gifts to a woman I've only just met, but I couldn't help myself, which seems to be the case in all respects concerning you._

_I noticed on our first meeting at the tournament, that you're rather adept with daggers. I also noticed that you like to twirl them when you're nervous or in deep concentration. I would never presume to say that your current daggers are of shoddy condition, but I thought perhaps you could find some use out of these. I daresay that they remind me of you, deadly and beautiful. I hope you enjoy them._

_Yours,_

_~A_

"The other suitor has spoken," Zevran says from over my shoulder. He obviously read the letter as well.

"What? The king? Why on Thedas would the king show any interest in a lowly-"

"Lovely teyrna of incredible intelligence? Elissa, you must get used to the fact that your social standing is second only to the king himself. It makes sense that he would choose you as a queen," Zevran says simply.

"I don't want to marry because it makes _sense_," I reply with some distaste. "I want to marry someone because I love them. And yes, I realize how foolish that sounds, but there you have it." I wrinkle my nose.

"I'm sure there are other reasons for his interest in you," Zevran smirks. "You may not know it, but I've been watching you from the shadows. I take my role of protector seriously. I promised your brother I would watch over you. As your protector I can tell you without any hint of a doubt that the king most certainly has romantic feelings for you. The question is, do you return those feelings, or do you prefer the attentions of the Bann?"

I sigh, shaking my head. "Damn it Zev, I came here to tutor the king, to help get things straightened out, not to pursue romantic endeavours. This all seems so…trite."

"You didn't answer my question, but I'll leave that be. For now, open the gift."

I do as I'm told, freeing the package of the twine and gingerly removing the brown paper. I stare at the box in my hands. With one last sigh I lift the lid and peer inside. I gasp as I take in the contents. The box holds two daggers, they are of identical make. I extract one and examine it in awe. It is clearly made of dragonbone, the pommel a lovely pearlescent hue. Several engravings are etched along the blade, and appear of dwarven origin. I'm stunned into silence by the generosity of such a gift.

"Those are…beautiful," Zevran eyes the daggers with envy. "They must have cost a small fortune."

"I-I can't accept these…It's too extravagant," I stammer.

"Nonsense. To return them would be an insult," Zevran says.

I know he's right of course. "I need to think about what all of this means…and I need to prepare for tomorrow's meeting. Thank you for being here Zev. It's good to have someone who I can actually trust and whose intentions are clear."

"It's a pleasure, my dear Elissa. Now unless you'd like me to perform my famous Antivan massage technique upon you, I suggest you get to bed."

"Good idea," I reply. Zevran leaves me to ponder the day's events. I'm pleasantly surprised when I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.


	7. Meetings and Songs

**Disclaimer:** I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **At the end.

* * *

**Meetings and Songs**

"I, for one, happen to agree with His Majesty's suggestion. Granting autonomy to the Circle of Magi is a most excellent idea," Vaughan's voice booms through the council chambers. Good boy. He sends an almost imperceptible glance my way.

"I also agree," Sighard pipes up. "The Circle was integral in our fight against the Blight and have proven to us that they no longer require such strict scrutiny. We must change with the times." I can hardly contain the grin that threatens to tug at my lips.

I clear my throat softly. "Well then, with the support of Bann Teagan, Arl Eamon, Bann Sighard, Bann Vaughan and myself, I believe it's safe to say that we can pass this ruling of granting autonomy to the Circle. What say you, your majesty?"

"I hereby grant the Circle of Magi full autonomy. All current mages shall have their titles reinstated, and any future mages will maintain their status as well. What is the next order of business?" The meeting continues for another couple of hours, and I try my damndest not to fall asleep. I instead focus on the king and his mannerisms. He seems to have taken to nobility with relative ease, however his stilted way of speaking belies his lack of experience. I wonder if perhaps he should address his subjects in a manner that is more befitting of his playful nature. Cailan was well liked by the people and had a friendly and carefree air about him, but he lacked the gruffness that Alistair possesses. Perhaps a combination of the two traits would make for a king that not only exudes confidence, but is likeable at the same time. It's certainly something I can suggest to Alistair. Right after I think of a proper way of thanking him for his gift. That was a mess of its own. The meeting is adjourned and the king tells us all that there is to be some sort of royal dinner that evening. Great, royal dinners, I love those. They're just an excuse for snotty nobles to get tanked and act like even bigger morons. I make my way to the exit when one of the guards blocks my way.

"His Majesty wishes to speak with you in his private quarters," the guard states.

Bloody hell. "Very well," I reply. I suppose there's no way of getting out of it. I ask the guard for directions and head toward Alistair's chambers. When I reach the large intricately carved double doors I knock softly.

"Come in," he responds. The first thing I notice upon entering is how large his quarters are. His sitting room is separate from the bedroom area, which I take as a blessing in disguise. I'm not sure I could handle being alone with Alistair in a room with a bed. I make a mental note to make sure we remain in the sitting room. I take a moment to examine the way the king has chosen to decorate his sitting room. I had expected it to be filled with battle regalia; weapons and armour and that sort of thing. Instead I noticed a large display case boasting several statuettes that varied in arcane and occult nature. His walls were adorned with beautiful tapestries, obviously hand woven with great care. There were of course several pieces of battle equipment. The main one showcased was a shield prominently displayed on the wall that directly faced the double doors. An image of a griffon was printed on the shield, and I could only surmise that it was of Grey Warden origin.

"Did you decorate this room yourself?" I ask offhandedly.

"Yes, I did. I suppose it's not exactly the epitome of masculinity-"

"I quite like it actually. I find it refreshing," I smile at him. "I wanted to thank you for the generous gift. It really wasn't necessary of course, but I appreciate the thought you put into it. I am a bit of a dagger fanatic."

"Don't forget about your cheese obsession," he teases. "I'm glad you liked the daggers. I just wanted to give you something to let you know how much I appreciate your being here. You were brilliant at the meeting today."

"Oh, it was nothing. I just helped the more simple minded folks see the logic in your plan, that's all," I grin. "I'm sure you must have a lot to do to prepare for dinner, and I shouldn't keep you…"

"Speaking of dinner," Alistair interrupts. "How was your evening with Teagan last night?"

I feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "I thought we'd already established that you were not to meddle in my personal affairs," I snap.

A gentle smirk tugs at Alistair's lips. "Now now, dear lady, no need to get all hot under the collar," he takes a step toward me. "Can't a man inquire about his competition?" He raises an eyebrow smugly.

"Competition? Really, this is simply astonishing. I'm here trying to establish some kind of order in this wretched mess and you and Teagan seem to have some sort of pissing match going on about who will be the first to get into my-" I'm cut off by his lips crashing into mine. His calloused hands cup my face as he plunders my mouth possessively. I'm simply too shocked to respond to this sudden onslaught, and instead allow this invasion with a slightly open mouth (I had been in the middle of talking after all, he's lucky I didn't bite off his sodding tongue) and arms hanging limply by my sides. He pulls away and gazes down at me, maintaining his grasp on my cheeks. He's obviously amused by my shocked expression.

"I couldn't resist, love. You have no idea how delicious you look when you get all riled up about something," he says cheekily. My face twists in anger and I grab his wrists, pulling them away from me.

"First of all, I'm not your 'love'. Don't call me that. Secondly, you have no right kissing me no matter how _delicious_ I look. I'm not something you can eat!"

"I beg to differ," he smiles luridly. I punch his arm. Hard.

"You will cease and desist! We have more pressing matters to attend to. As I told Teagan, I don't have time for all of this romance nonsense-" I realize immediately that I've said too much.

Alistair cocks an eyebrow. "So he has decided to pursue you, has he? I thought as much. I can't say that I blame him."

I fold my arms over my chest. "You're both behaving like cavemen. My duty is to Ferelden and Highever, not to some man that wants to use me as a vessel to his heirs."

"If that's what you think I want, you're sorely mistaken," Alistair says.

"Regardless," I cut him off. "We have other things to worry about. I shall leave you to prepare for this ridiculous dinner."

"As you wish," he replies. "You know, your brother once gave me very good advice."

"Oh? That's surprising, the Aedan I knew was mostly full of shit," I say begrudgingly. I sigh softly. "But he did have the occasional intelligent thing to say."

"He told me that I needed to make my own happiness, and to look out for myself more often. Basically that I needed to have more confidence," Alistair explained.

"Sound advice," I reply.

"He also said that I should put my wants and needs first from time to time. That's what I'm doing right now. I know we have a connection, Elissa. I won't ignore it. I want you, and I will do whatever it takes to have you by my side." His tone is unrelenting.

How many times can I damn my dead twin brother in one week?

* * *

Zevran helps me prepare for dinner. I decide on a simple green silk shift dress that sets off the colour of my eyes. Zev insists upon tying a black silk sash beneath my bust line to accentuate my figure. He ignores my protests of wanting to call _less _attention to my body. Both Alistair and Teagan will be present at the dinner, and I don't relish being in the same room with them. Instead of pinning my hair up as I normally do, I let it flow past my shoulders. I'm about to head to the party when Zevran stops me.

"One last thing," he reaches up and slides a lovely porcelain hair comb into my tresses. It serves as a way of exposing my right cheek fully, the cheek that has been tattooed. "Perfect," he murmurs. "It shows the nobility that there is beauty in flaws." I hug him tightly and head for the dining hall.

* * *

I've discovered another setback of being the second highest ranking noble. While the king sits at the head of the table, I sit on his right hand side, diagonal from him. Arl Eamon is seated on his left. Teagan sits next to Eamon. I had thought that dinner would be tense, but I was mistaken. I was actually having a good time. After three glasses of wine and the main course, Teagan had begun telling Alistair tales of my childhood. Oh joy, oh bliss.

"Darling Elissa only began visiting Redcliffe after you had left for the Chantry," Teagan explained. "That's why the two of you never ran into one another. I still remember the time when I had several friends over and we were sparring in the fields. Elissa's father had business with Eamon and had brought her along to Redcliffe. It wasn't long before she stumbled upon us boys and asked to join in our sparring session. She was waif thin and had matted hair. Her dress was covered in grass stains. We thought her to be a street urchin and told her to leave."

"I believe your exact words were 'bugger off'," I say dryly.

Teagan lets out a throaty chuckle. "Yes, I'm ashamed to admit that we did in fact say that. Anyhow, one of the lads, his name was Landry, actually grabbed her by the arm to physically remove her from the field."

"He was such a pompous ass," I grumble.

"Do you know what she did? She turned on him, kneed him right in the groin, and when he doubled over in pain, she punched him square in the nose. Blood was spurting everywhere," Teagan can barely contain his laughter. "When he later discovered her to be the Teyrn's daughter, he nearly died of embarrassment. Needless to say she and I became fast friends. Any girl that can make a boy cry like that is good in my books."

Eamon and Alistair are both laughing loudly. I soon join in despite myself. "I told you he was a pompous bugger. Served him right," I chuckle. I notice Eamon gazing at me thoughtfully.

"Elissa, my dear, I seem to recall your father telling me that you have a lovely singing voice," Eamon smiles. Oh bollocks. "Would you perhaps indulge us in a song? I think it would be the perfect ending to a wonderful dinner."

"I'm sure my father exaggerated as he often does when it comes to my singing," I say with some modesty.

"I didn't know you could sing," Teagan exclaims.

I can feel myself beginning to flush. I haven't performed in public in years, though I do often practice singing in private. "I learned from a minstrel when I was a young girl…"

"Then you must sing for us," Alistair states. "I demand that you do so, or else I'll lock you in the dungeon. I _am_ the king after all," he jests.

"Very well, if you insist," I run through various songs in my head, landing on one that has always been special to me. I stand and wander to the front of the dining hall. All eyes are on me and I can feel the familiar fluttering of butterflies in my stomach. "This happens to be a song my mother used to sing to me before bed when I was a child. It's very dear to me." I take a deep breath and begin.

"_Now my charms are all o'erthrown  
And what strength I have's mine own  
Which is most faint; now t'is true  
I must be here confined by you_

But release me from my bands  
With the help of your good hands  
Gentle breath of yours my sails  
Must fill, or else my project fails,  
Which was to please.  
Which was to please; now I want

_Spirits to enforce, art to enchant  
And my ending is despair,  
Unless I be relieved by prayer_

Which pierces so that it assaults  
Mercy itself and frees all faults  
As you from crimes would pardon'd be  
Let your indulgence set me free."

A deafening silence surrounds me. I didn't think it was _that_ terrible. I'm about to actually _apologize _when I notice the tears streaming down Eamon's cheeks. Alistair is staring at me slack jawed, and Teagan's eyes are wide with wonder. I shift from one foot to the other then do an awkward curtsy. Bann Sighard stands and applauds loudly. His ovation is soon followed by everyone else attending the dinner. I murmur a thank you and return to my seat. Several voices commend me on my performance. I can't remember the last time I've been so red faced. I almost don't hear the king whisper into my ear.

"I know now more than ever that you will be mine."

Maker's mercy. Does it ever end?

* * *

**A/N: **The song in this chapter is "Prospero's Speech". It is sung by Loreena McKennitt (if you haven't heard it, I suggest you give it a listen, it's beautiful) but you may also recognise it as the famous soliloquy from Shakespeare's_ The Tempest. _


	8. Practice Makes Perfect

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **Sorry for taking so long in posting this chapter. I was distracted by The Awakening, and then...well, playing it over and over. . Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Practice Makes Perfect**

Ridiculous! I can't _believe _that bloody stubborn man, insisting that I'm going to be _his. _As if I'm some piece of property. Whendinner finally finishes, I'm ready to let out some pent up stress. It's all I can do to keep from running to my bed chambers. Luckily the king and Teagan are busy discussing something with Eamon, so I manage to escape unnoticed. I think about asking Zevran if he wants to join me in a sparring session, but decide against it. It's a bit late, and while I'm sure he's probably still awake, I feel the need to be alone after being surrounded by so many people. When I enter my quarters I strip out of the stupid dress I'd been wearing (how women can prefer wearing dresses to armour is entirely beyond me) and quickly slip into my battle robes. I search for the nearest guard, who just happens to be the same one that had brushed me off when I had been looking for the kitchen. What luck.

"Oy, big guy!" I say to get his attention. "Where's the practice room?"

The guard eyes my outfit. "It's down in the basement, my lady." He gives me further instructions, which are easy enough to follow. "My lady?" the guard asks just as I'm about to turn away.

"Yes?"

"I am truly sorry for disrespecting you the other night. Had I known that you -"

I hold up a hand. "Don't worry about it. I don't exactly come across as genteel, so it's hardly your fault for thinking what you did."

The guard lets out a breath of relief. "You are too kind, my lady." He bows deeply, and I suddenly feel incredibly awkward. I've never been good at having people bow and scrape for me. In Highever I had always insisted on doing everything myself. It drove Nan mad, especially when I'd try and prepare my own meals. Aedan's mabari hadn't been the only one to get scolded for breaking into the larder.

"Yes, well. I'm sure you have pressing guard things to attend to, so I'll leave you in peace." I clear my throat in a decidedly authoritative manner (yeah, right) and turn on my heel.

* * *

Backstab…duck…slide…jab…stab…I run through my typical training routine. Sweat has begun to bead and trickle down my forehead, stinging my eyes. I don't wipe it away. If this was a real fight any break in concentration could cost me my life. Though unless the practice dummy suddenly decides to spring into action, I think the odds of victory are in my favour. I toss the dulled daggers I'd been using to one side and begin a series of hand to hand techniques. I'll probably have bruises on my fists and knees from hitting the dummy, but I can't help but revel in the adrenaline rush that surges through me as I punch, kick and knee the splintering wood.

"If it weren't for the tits and arse, I'd swear I was lookin' at the Warden," comes a voice from behind me. I spin around and find…a dwarf?

I quirk an amused eyebrow. "Yes, last I checked my breasts were a sight better than the king's." I rub an arm against my sopping wet forehead.

"Wasn't talkin' about the king, I was talkin' about your brother," comes the dwarf's gruff reply. He runs his fingers through his shockingly red beard before grasping at a water skin at his hip. Judging by the slight sway to his stance, I'm guessing that it's not water in there…

"Ah, you knew Aedan, did you?" I approach the dwarf and hold out a hand. "Name's Elissa, what's yours?"

The dwarf grasps my hand and gives it a firm shake. "Oghren. And I more than knew him, we traveled together. When I heard that his twin sister was in the palace, I had to come and see for myself. Heard through the dwarf grapevine that you were quite a help to Orzammar after we left. Kept a lot of those sodding darkspawn at bay, did ya?"

I smile and shrug a shoulder. "I suppose I did, though it wasn't just me. I had a lot of help from the Legion and a few others who were brave enough to endure the Deep Roads." I tilt my head to one side when I notice for the first time that Oghren is wearing the same armour as those enlisted in the king's army. "So…you came to the surface to join the royal guard?"

Oghren lets loose a hearty laugh. "Naw, I became a surfacer to help defeat the Blight. When that little pike twirler was crowned king he made me the commander of his guard. Can't say that I blame him. Old Oghren here is a force to be reckoned with." I've immediately taken a liking to the dwarf. He reminds me of the simpler days beneath the surface, before Aedan died, before the Siren, and before I landed in this mess at the palace. "So I heard you came with the elf. I'm surprised he hasn't gotten himself killed. I never could figure out what your brother saw in him."

"He does come off a bit sneaky at first, I agree. But he's proven to be a very good ally, and maybe even a friend. He didn't have to come looking for me, but it was my brother's last wish…" I feel a wave of emotion wash over me, and it's so sudden that I choke out a sob, much to my embarrassment. I turn away from Oghren and hold my hand up to my face, shielding myself from his view. I half expect him to tell me to snap out of it. Instead he thrusts his skin of…whatever is in there under my nose. I take it from him and throw back a large swig. Whatever it is, it's strong. My esophagus burns from the potent spirit and I let loose a cough.

"Amateur," Oghren teases. I grin and take another swig before handing the skin back to him.

"Thanks," I say softly. "I needed that."

"Don't sweat it," he replies. He's about to say something else when he's interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. We both glance up at the doorway as a guard enters.

"Commander," he bows respectfully in Oghren's direction. He turns to me. "Teyrna Cousland, I have a message from the king. His majesty wishes to see you in his chambers as soon as possible."

I manage to keep from rolling my eyes. "He's holding a meeting? At this hour?"

The guard shifts uncomfortably. "No, my lady. I do believe that his majesty wishes to speak to you in private." Oh, so that's it, is it?

I scowl. "Please inform the king that any matter he wishes to discuss with me can wait until morning. I will be happy to meet with him in his _study _first thing tomorrow. You may also add that contrary to what he may think, I am _not _the kind of woman who jumps between the sheets just because _his majesty _asks." Oghren chuckles beside me.

The guard pales visibly. "I-I'm not sure if that's a message I can repeat, my lady." I sigh and look around. There's a desk of sorts propped against one of the walls. Obviously it's there to keep inventory of the practice weapons, or some other administrative matter. Regardless, it has what I'm looking for: a quill and some parchment. I scrawl out what I'd told the guard and fold the parchment in two. I hand it to him.

"Here," I say. "Give him this instead. That way you don't have to worry about him chopping your head off." He bows to both of us and leaves.

"You sure have a lot of stones, blowing off a king," Oghren chuckles. "Can't say many other women would do the same in your position."

"Just because he's the king doesn't mean that he can order me into his bed," I snap. "I'm not _that _easy."

Oghren tugs at his beard idly. "You know what? He wasn't always as direct as he is now. Especially when it came to women. When I first met him, he'd fall over his tongue when he tried to talk to a woman. Then your brother started to work at him, and after a while he got more guts. When I first met him, the king was a sodding chantry boy. Now…" he cocks an eyebrow. "Well, can't say I blame him. Nothing hotter than a woman that can scrap."

"Well, he's barking up the wrong tree. I told him before, I have bigger things to worry about. Pretty soon I'll be heading back to Highever."

"Heh, not if the little pike twirler can help it. You may be calling this place your home instead," he wiggles his eyebrows at me.

I blink several times. "What?! That's ridiculous! He wouldn't have me be a bloody concubine, would he?"

"Who said anything about a concubine? I think the king plans on making you his little wifey. Til death do you part, and all that garbage."

That sends me reeling, to say the least. Were the king's intentions so transparent that even Oghren could see them? I wonder if perhaps he's been talking to Zevran about all of this. "He barely even knows me! You can't want to _marry _someone you don't know!"

Oghren grunts. "That's just my opinion. I don't know much about human politics, but from what I gathered, you're almost as important as the king, right?"

"Well, not really. I mean..I guess in a way I am. There are no other nobles that carry the same title as I do, but that doesn't mean -"

"Wouldn't it make sense for him to marry you?" He's got me there, and I'm surprised to discover that my feelings are a bit hurt. A part of me had hoped that Alistair was pursuing me because he was actually interested in me. To everyone else it probably looked like he was only giving me that attention so that he could gain my favour and take a queen that the rest of the nobility would approve of. I wonder if Eamon put him up to this. Either way I'm feeling very put out, and I want nothing more than to be alone to wallow in my own stupidity.

"I think I'm going to turn in for the night," I say sullenly. "It was a pleasure meeting you Oghren. I hope we run into one another before I head back to Highever."

Oghren fixes me with a knowing smile. "I doubt you'll even make it there. I'll probably be seeing more of you around here than you think. If you wanna trade horror stories about Orzammar, head over to the Gnawed Noble Tavern pretty much any night and I'll be there."

"You can count on it," I reply. We shake hands once again and I head off for my room. Usually I'm too pumped up to even think about sleep after a workout, but given the day that I've had I'm almost asleep on my feet. I make it to my room in time to crawl into bed without bothering to change into a night gown. I'm in a deep sleep before my head even hits the pillow.

* * *

_Thump thump thump thump!_

If this is someone's idea of a joke, I'm really not impressed. I glance out of my window. It's still dark, so I mustn't have been sleeping for very long. More pounding at the door.

"Andraste's blood, hold on!" I throw back the covers and wearily head for the door. "What?!" I yell as I swing the door open. I'm met by a piece of parchment being thrust into my face.

"What in the name of the Maker is this?" asks the angry king standing at my door. I guess he got my note. I snatch the paper away from him.

"I'm sorry, was there something that you didn't understand? Let me be more blunt: I don't appreciate having guards come to ask me to your bedroom for a midnight rendez-vous," I reply scathingly.

Alistair's eyes narrow as he regards me. "Look, that wasn't how I meant it. I actually did want to talk to you."

"Is that what they're calling it nowadays?"

"I'm being serious!" he snaps. "You know, blowing off the king isn't a trivial matter. You undermined my authority in front of that guard."

He's right about that part. I probably should have found a more tactful way of telling him that I wasn't thrilled about his impersonal bedroom request. "You're right, I'm sorry." I say softly.

He sighs and his expression softens. "No, I know how it seemed. I apologize for that. Please, may I come in?"

I chew on the inside of my cheek, then finally open the door fully and let him in. "Now, what was so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning?"

"Well, I suppose it could have waited, I only sent for you because I was afraid that I'd be too busy to see you tomorrow. The thing is, I wanted to have a monument built for one of the Wardens that fell in Ostagar. His name was Duncan, and he told me that he came from Highever. I was hoping that you would be alright with us building it on your land." The look he gives me is so vulnerable that I almost forget that he's the king. For that one moment he seems so hopelessly sad that I want to throw my arms around him and comfort him. I give myself a mental slap for being such a soft touch.

"Of course you can. You needn't have even asked me, you are the king after all."

"I know, but I just thought it would be courteous to…" he takes in my bedroom attire. "Do you always sleep in your battle robes?"

I smile despite myself. "Oh sure, you never know when there'll be an attack on the castle. Always be prepared, that's my motto."

"I think you would scare off any bandits by showing them your hair," Alistair jests. "It's in quite a state of disarray, to say the least." He reaches out and runs his fingers through my hair, smoothing it down. I feel goosebumps erupting on my arms from the sensation of his fingertips gently running over my scalp. He's staring down at me, and the heat from his gaze sears into me. We're treading in dangerous territory, and I'm not sure that I'll be able to resist the temptation if we go any further. I take a step back and turn away from him.

"I should probably get back to bed," I say. Alistair doesn't reply. I'm about to turn back around and shoo him off when I feel one strong arm wrap around my waist, pulling me against him. My back presses into his broad, muscular chest. I should pull away, I should protest, but Maker, he feels so good and it's been so long since I've been intimate with a man. "Alistair," I whisper. "We shouldn't…"

"I don't care what we shouldn't do," he murmurs into my ear. "I want you, Elissa…" he begins to nibble at my earlobe, and I inhale sharply. He kisses along the crook of my neck, and I let my head loll back against his shoulder. I reach up and run my fingers through his short, blond hair. "Maker, but you're beautiful," he whispers huskily. He's about to spin me around in his arms when we're interrupted by a sharp knocking at the door.

"What now?" I groan. I pull away from Alistair, who lets loose an aggravated growl, and wander to the door. I open it and find Zevran standing there. "Zev? What's going on?" I ask.

He looks past me and sees Alistair standing in my room. "I'm terribly sorry, my dear. Had I known that you were entertaining a guest, I would have waited until morning."

"It's, uh, not what you think," I say lamely. He raises his eyebrows at me. "Never mind. What can I do for you?" I step aside and gesture for him to enter. He glides past me and stands in between Alistair and I.

"Your majesty," he bows his head in Alistair's direction. A small smirk curls on his lips. "I must say that I am not surprised to find you here. I saw your battle with Elissa at the tournament. If a woman as lovely as she bested me in a fight by straddling my chest, I would be eager to jump into her bed as well." He winks at Alistair, who simply rolls his eyes.

"Is there a reason why you're here, Zevran?" Alistair asks while folding his arms over his chest.

Zevran nods. "I'm afraid that I have some unsettling news. I was spending my evening at the tavern, when I heard a pair of nobles discussing their outrage at the king's recent decision regarding the Circle of Magi."

"What else is new?" I say.

"No, were that the only issue I would not have bothered telling you. They obviously did not wish to speak openly, and retreated to one of the back rooms. I followed behind, keeping to the shadows. I managed to overhear most of their conversation from my position at their door. Apparently those that disagree with this recent ruling about mages will be meeting in secret to discuss ways that it can be overturned," Zevran turns to me. "Your name came up, my dear. It would seem they hold you responsible."

I snort derisively. "I'm hardly surprised. They need a scapegoat, and since I just showed up, who better to lay the blame on?"

"I thought it best to warn you. Perhaps you should be on your guard for the next while. At least until you return to your home in Highever," Zevran advises.

"I'll have a guard positioned outside her quarters," Alistair says.

"What? No! That's absurd. Not only is it beyond excessive at this point, but it might tip them off to the fact that we know what they're planning. I think it's best if we keep our cards close to our chests," I point out. "I can handle myself just fine."

Alistair sighs. "I don't know, Elissa. I'm not sure we should be playing games if your life is in danger."

"My life is _not _ in danger. I doubt they'd go so far as to assassinate me," I reply. They both give me a pointed look. "Okay, maybe they would. But still, it's too soon to take those kinds of precautions. I'll stay on my toes, I promise. Now, if neither of you have anything else to add, I think I'd like to actually get some sleep tonight." After a few protests I manage to usher them both out of my room.

As I drift off to sleep, I make a mental note to stab anyone that dares to knock on my door before morning.


	9. Back Alley Brawl

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

* * *

**Back Alley Brawl**

The Denerim market district is normally a bustling hub of activity. Today, however, the lucky stalls boast a meagre one to two customers. When I woke up this morning, I was struck with a severe case of cabin fever. After slipping on a flared linen skirt, a cream coloured tunic and leather boots, I decided it was time to take a stroll through the city. I had hoped to stop by the book stall to see if there were any new arrivals. With a bag slung over my shoulder, I head toward the book merchant. He recognizes me as I approach and waves happily.

"Lady Elissa," the merchant smiles. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Are you in need of some new reading material?" He tells me of his most recent arrivals, and after browsing through a few titles I settle on a particularly steamy looking story about a mage and her love affair with a templar. Ooh la la. I'm a sucker for trashy romance. I pay for the book and tuck it away in my shoulder bag. Next to the book stall is a merchant selling various soaps. My girlish side gets the better of me and I can't help but spend a few minutes sniffing away at their selections. The merchant is a lovely woman who isn't much older than I, and she suggests several soaps that she thinks would suit me. I indulge and buy one that smells like a mixture of roses and sandalwood. As the morning hours cross into afternoon I feel the stress melting away. I almost feel like myself again. My stomach begins to growl and I take that as a sign that I should head back to the palace for some lunch. I decide to cut through the back alleys. Much like the market, the alleys are also deserted. It isn't until I reach the midway point that I hear some semblance of activity.

"I said, give me all your money, wench! If you don't, your blood will paint this alleyway," growls a rather angry sounding man.

I hear a woman sniffling. "Please don't hurt me! I don't have any money, I told you!" Great, of all the back alleys in Denerim, I had to walk down the one with criminal activity…oh wait, they're all like that. Suddenly a slap echoes through the air and the woman shrieks. I creep forward and take a peek around the corner. From my vantage point I'm able to discern a scruffy looking man standing over a petite woman with chin length brown hair. She's cowering, and the man has his hand pulled back as though he's about to hit her again. The anger begins to bubble up inside of me.

"Well, isn't this a lovely surprise! Here I am, minding my own business, when I happen upon a lout brutalizing a young woman! I am indeed a lucky girl." The man spins around, momentarily distracted by the sound of my voice. His eyes narrow as he takes me in. I stop a few feet away from him and fold my arms over my chest.

"Mind your own business, sweet cheeks, or you'll wind up just as bruised as this little bitch," the man leers at me.

I tilt my head to one side. "I'm sorry, am I supposed to be frightened of you? You'll excuse me if I'm not overly impressed." The ruffian gives me an angry scowl and starts advancing.

"I'm gonna have to teach you some manners," he bellows. He swings a fist in my direction, which I dodge easily. With lightening fast reflexes I extract a dagger from one of my boots. As he stumbles forward from the momentum of his punch, I spin behind him and kick him in the rear, which sends him sprawling into the dirt face first. I jump onto his back and grab his greasy hair with one hand while I hold the dagger to his throat. He struggles beneath me, and I respond by increasing the pressure of my blade.

"Are you going to be a good boy and leave this woman alone?" I hiss into his ear.

"Yes," he says through gritted teeth. I remove the dagger from his throat and jump off of him. I watch closely as he gets to his feet. I'm almost certain that he's about to run off when he suddenly turns and darts toward me. He doesn't have much distance to cover, but I'm much faster. He probably doesn't even see it coming. One second his features are curled into an ugly sneer, and the next, his mouth hangs open in shock. Even I'm surprised with how easily my blade slices through his flesh. I must remember to thank Alistair again for his generous gift. I feel the man's blood spray into my face, and I watch as he falls to his knees. The front of his shirt is drenched within a matter of moments. I take a step back as he falls to the ground.

"Son of a bitch," I moan. I turn toward the woman, who is staring at me wide eyed. "I just got this shirt, and now it's ruined!" She continues to stare at me while I wipe the blade against my stained tunic. "You okay?" I ask.

She nods at me. I see the beginnings of a nasty bruise starting to form on her cheek. "Th-thank you. I thought he was going to kill me," she stammers. She begins to tremble rather violently. I head toward her hurriedly and kneel down.

"Hey now, it's okay. You're safe," I wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I'm Elissa, what's your name?" I know I have to keep her talking, or at least keep her distracted. Otherwise she's liable to go into a fit.

"Kaitlyn, my name is Kaitlyn," she replies.

I smile warmly. "Pleased to meet you Kaitlyn. Listen, I was just headed to the palace for some lunch. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you cleaned up?"

"Why are you going to the palace?" she asks.

"Because I'm staying there until my home in Highever is ready for me," I reply, my voice steady and calm. It seems to be doing the trick, as I feel her muscles starting to loosen up a bit.

"My brother works at the palace," she says offhandedly. "Maybe you've met him? His name is Bevin."

My face lights up. "I know him! He's very helpful, you know. How about you visit him after you get all of this dirt off of you?"

"Alright, if you're sure…"

"Sure I'm sure! Let's go." I help her to her feet and pull her away from the dead man. She spares one last glance over her shoulder and follows me to the palace.

* * *

We're sitting in the kitchen and chatting while I have a large pot of water heating up over a fire. It isn't long before we're caught by one of the servants, who apparently takes issue with the fact that I'm warming our bath water. Something about taking her job away from her. Regardless, we're shooed out of the kitchen and told to wait in my chambers until the bath is prepared for us. I let Kaitlyn borrow one of my robes and we hand our soiled clothes off to yet another servant, who doesn't once question why I have blood all over my tunic. We're both seated on my bed, and Kaitlyn tells me that she's come from Redcliffe and opened a foundry here in Denerim.

"I know you may not believe this, but I owe everything to the Hero," she smiles. I blink several times.

"The Hero? As in…the Hero of Ferelden?"

Kaitlyn nods eagerly. "Yes, he came to Redcliffe, and he bought my grandfather's sword from me for five hundred silvers. I used that money to travel here and I managed to open the foundry. If it weren't for him I'd still be living a life of poverty in Redcliffe. I owe everything to him…Elissa? What's wrong?"

I shake my head and reach out, squeezing her hand. "I was just suddenly struck with how small the world is. Aedan was my twin brother, and it makes me happy to know that he's managed to touch so many lives. Not just by slaying the archdemon, but how he helped people on such a personal level as well…"

"Oh Maker, I'm sorry, I had no idea! But if you're his sister, doesn't that make you a Cousland?" she ventures. I nod by way of reply. "Oh, my lady! Forgive my lack of propriety!" her pretty features are all at once twisted by her embarrassment.

I let out a peal of laughter and squeeze her hand once again. "Don't be silly! Propriety is not at the top of my list of things to be concerned about. Never call me 'my lady' again, especially since we've bathed in a man's blood together," I admonish playfully. She returns my smile and is about to reply when there's a knock at the door. "That must be our bath water. Oh! We can use the new soaps that I bought today!" I squeal with glee. Funny how I can go from bloodlust to girlish imbecile in a matter of seconds. I throw open the door and find Teagan standing on the other side. "Tea-time! To what do we owe the pleasure?" I smile at him. His gaze travels from my eyes and moves slowly downward, taking in my skimpy bath robe.

"Elissa…I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were busy…wait, did you just say 'we'?" he moves to look over my shoulder, but I block his view.

"Tut tut, Tea-time! No peeking into my private quarters," I place a hand on his chest and gently push him back. "I won't be long," I call over my shoulder to Kaitlyn. I close the door behind me and wiggle my eyebrows at Teagan suggestively. "I have a girl in there." When his eyes widen I can't help but laugh. "You should see the look on your face! Seriously though, she was being attacked by some man, so I killed him and brought her back here to clean up. Her name is Kaitlyn. Perhaps you know her? She's from Redcliffe and she's just opened a foundry here in Denerim."

"Wait a moment, you were attacked and killed a man this afternoon? Maker's breath Elissa, only you can relate such an adventure so calmly," he places his hands on my shoulders. "I never tire of your exuberance." I duck out of his grasp and poke him in the ribs playfully. I refuse to play this game with him after having spent the night dreaming about the king with his full, pouting lips pressed against…I give myself a mental shake. Snap out of it!

"You ought to meet her! After we bathe we should all have lunch together," I suggest. "Say you'll join us?"

Teagan grins. "How can I say no to such a generous offer? Very well, I'll meet you down in the dining hall in…how about an hour? Does that give you enough time?"

"Perfect! We'll see you soon," I give him a little wave and return to my bedroom.

It isn't long before the servant brings up the heated water, and I insist Kaitlyn be first to bathe. I give her a green dress to slip into once she's done and promise her that her clothes will be ready for her by the time lunch is over. She doesn't suspect that a tiny plan has begun to hatch in my mind's eye. She appears out of the bathroom about half an hour later looking squeaky clean. The dress suits her beautifully, though it is a touch too big for her. I inhale deeply and can't help but appreciate the wondrous smell that is wafting from her. Little does she know that I'll be using the boring soap, and she'll be the only one smelling like a rose. She waits for me in my bedroom, and I select the most boring outfit I can find for myself - a pair of brown linen trousers and a cream coloured shapeless tunic. I pat myself on the back and hop into the tub. I give myself a cursory scrub, making sure to wipe away the blood that has dried on my forearms. When I'm finished the bathwater has taken on a rusty hue. Nothing like a little blood to get the appetite going.

* * *

"Teagan, allow me to introduce Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn this is Teagan, bann of-"

"Rainesfere!" Kaitlyn gasps slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you milord," she curtseys. My gaze shifts to Teagan, who I notice is quite taken with Kaitlyn. I resist the urge to pump a fist.

Teagan takes Kaitlyn's hand into his own and kisses it lightly. "The pleasure is all mine, my lady." His eyes are sparkling, and she's smiling widely. We sit at the dining room table and are served lunch. I let Kaitlyn and Teagan take on the majority of the conversation, and only make the odd comment so they know I'm paying attention. Pretty soon they're talking animatedly about life in Redcliffe, their families, and other small talk. I can tell right away that Teagan likes her, and judging by the way she hangs off of his every word, I think it's safe to say she feels the same about him.

"Damn!" I exclaim suddenly. "I just remembered that I have to see…the king about something. I better not keep him waiting," the pair glance up at me as though surprised to realize that I'm still there. "Teagan, would you be able to see Kaitlyn back to her home?"

"Of course," Teagan replies immediately.

"Wonderful," I clasp my hands together. "Well, it was wonderful spending the afternoon with you Kaitlyn. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around." I give her a brief hug. "Stay safe." I stride out of the dining hall with a huge grin plastered on my face. That was too easy. Now with Teagan off my back, I won't have any distractions. After all, Aedan had wanted me to show Alistair the ropes, and thus far I haven't been giving him the proper tutelage. As I walk down the hallway, I go over several points that I think will help him in court, most of which have to do with his disposition and general responses to the nobles. I'm so deep in thought that I nearly run headlong into none other than Bevin, Kaitlyn's younger brother.

"My lady?" he smiles up at me.

"Hey there, Bevin! What can I do for you?"

"The king wishes to speak with you in his study, my lady." he stands proudly as he recites the message. I try hard not to reach out and ruffle his hair, which I'm sure would humiliate him.

"I'd better not keep him waiting then," I reply. "Oh, by the way, your sister is here. I ran into her in the…uh…market. We had lunch together. You may want to stop by the dining hall and say hi."

"Could I? Thank you very much!" He practically races away from me, and I let out a chuckle. Cute kid. While wandering down the hallway I wonder if it might be a good idea to find a woman to set the king up with. My idea to introduce Teagan to Kaitlyn had worked out beautifully, so perhaps if I were to do the same with Alistair he'd be less inclined to pursue me and concentrate on important matters when we're together. I quickly dismiss the idea. He's far too busy to entertain any romantic inclinations, so it's probably best if I not add another woman to his plate…

That's what I tell myself anyway.


	10. A Tutor for the Suitor

**Disclaimer: **I do not own DA:O or any of its characters!

* * *

_"Hey, wait, I've got a new complaint_

_Forever in debt to your priceless advice"_

_~Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana_

_

* * *

**10. A Tutor for the Suitor**_

"First and foremost, we have to work on the way you react to the other nobles, whether it be in court, or socially. Whenever they speak to you, they're really either trying to get information from you, or they're looking to gain your favour in some kind of political matter. You're under constant scrutiny, so if you react too strongly to something they say, they'll notice," I explain to Alistair. I'm sitting across from him in his study, and he's listening intently. I almost let out a giggle when he starts taking notes. "You want to find a few different faces you can give them. I know it sounds silly, but it's really the safest bet. King Cailan wore his heart on his sleeve, and while many people loved him for it, we all knew who wore the pants between him and Anora. If you can find a good balance between humour and firmness, you'll be set."

Alistair looks up from his notes. "So you're telling me I should have a listening face, a firm face, a thinking face and a playful face?" He shakes his head. "This all seems rather ridiculous."

"Welcome to noble life," I quip. "Now, show me your thinking face." Alistair complies. "You look constipated. Loosen up a bit, tilt your head to one side. That's it!" We run through several expressions, and after about half an hour we've managed to find a few that will suit different situations.

"I feel like a complete moron," Alistair moans. "Why can't people just say what they mean?"

"Why, that would make things far too easy for you, your majesty," I tease. "The Ferelden nobility would much rather watch you squirm."

"I think I'd rather watch _you _squirm," Alistair grins at me and stands, rounding his bureau. He leans on the edge of it, gazing down at me. "So, I heard you had company for lunch."

I shift in my seat, adjusting my wretched brown breaches. "Yes, I did. A girl named Kaitlyn that I'd met in the market…she was being accosted by a wretched man, and so I stepped in. It was messy business, so I invited her back to the castle for some lunch. Teagan happened to be here, so I invited him as well and introduced them."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Don't tell me Elissa the ice queen was actually playing matchmaker," he folds his arms over his chest, his grin widening. "What _is _the world coming to?"

"I'm secretly a hopeless romantic," I retort.

"Ha! I knew it! That whole 'don't mess with me' act? I'm _so_ not buying it," he leans in closer, his face mere inches from my own. I swallow audibly and lick my lips.

"Now you're just making fun of me," I say.

He reaches out, running his fingers through my hair. "Make fun of you dear lady? Perish the thought!" His hand cups my cheek, and I brace myself for what's coming next…he's obviously going to kiss me. My eyes fall shut and my lips part in anticipation, only he doesn't do it. At least, not in the way that I'd hoped. He instead chastely pecks my forehead. My eyes shoot open when I feel his hand fall away from my face. I feel my cheeks begin to heat up from the sheer humiliation of the situation. "I've been going about this all wrong," Alistair says. "I want you to know that I'm interested in more than just…than just sex. I want to get to know everything about you, Elissa, so there's not a shadow of a doubt about my intentions." My mouth drops open and I start to protest, to tell him that he needn't go through so much trouble, that I longed for the pleasure that only he could provide…but his index finger presses against my lips to silence me. "I want you to have dinner with me tonight. Alone. I want to hear all about your life before you came here. Before the Blight. I won't take no for an answer."

"Well then, I suppose I need not reply," I glance down at my clothes. "I clearly need to change, however."

Alistair frowns slightly. "Why? You look beautiful as you are. You needn't change, what you have on is perfectly fine." What strikes me is not the comment itself, but the absolute honesty behind it. He wasn't trying a line on me, nor was he shovelling empty flattery onto my shoulders. He genuinely meant what he said.

"You…you really think I'm beautiful?" I ask softly.

He rolls his eyes. "Of course, you must know that by now. I've said it countless times before."

"I know, but it's just most men who've said it usually want something from me. Whether it's political support, or someone to fight on their side, or…sex. I've never really met someone who has said it because they actually believed it. I'm just not used to it," I explain.

"You know I'm not in the habit of saying things I don't mean," he replies.

"Yes, I'm starting to see that."

Alistair smiles widely. "Good. Now, if you're set on getting changed, then I shan't stop you. Dinner will be ready in about two hours. I know you had a late lunch, so do you think you'll be hungry?" As though it were cued to do so, my stomach growled loudly. "I guess that answers my question," he says with a chuckle.

"Sorry," I say sheepishly. "I'm a growing girl, what can I say?"

"Don't apologize. At least I know there's no risk of me breaking you in two during a night of passionate love making," he winks at me, and I swear to the Maker, for the first time in the history of all that is Elissa Cousland, a man has managed to make me blush at a sexual joke. What is wrong with me? Normally I'm the one that's causing the noblemen to blush! I mentally berate myself, but it's too late. He sees my ears and neck flush deeply, and his smile becomes even wider. I feel my stomach twist into knots at the wolfish grin he's giving me, and I'm finally able to admit to myself that I have a ridiculously large crush on the king. Cliché, I know, and I almost hate myself for it, but what's a girl to do?

* * *

I've never had two hours slip by quite so quickly. Granted, having the servants draw another bath took a fair bit of time, as did scrubbing my entire body repeatedly with my girly soaps…not to mention fussing with my hair to the point of almost ripping it out of my scalp. Finding something to wear had been the easy part. I settled on a beautiful mulberry dress made of crushed velvet. The neckline was v-shaped, but not too revealing. It exposed my shoulders, however, and clung to my curves. After giving up the battle with my hair, I settled with tying it in a loose ponytail. I pursed my lips several times to give them a slight reddish tint. The end result was a bit more than I had anticipated…it looked like I'd spent the past two hours kissing someone passionately. Oh well, maybe it would throw Alistair into a fit of jealousy, causing him to claim me right there in the dining hall. I push that image aside for the moment. Best not to think such things when I'm about to go on a date with the subject of said fantasies. That is unless I want to spend the next few hours being tortured by my desire, only to find release at my own hands in my comfortable (and lonely) bedchambers.

Zevran stops by momentarily to make sure that everything is alright. He eyes my outfit and nods to show his approval. "I will not be here this evening, my dear. I have heard from various sources that there will be another gathering at the tavern. I intend to be there to try and gain some further insight into what I had heard the other night. I will hopefully have more information for you once I return." He smiles at me and kisses my cheek. "Enjoy yourself, and if possible, enjoy the king as well." I slap his arm playfully and he saunters off. When it's finally time to head to the dining hall for dinner, I've finally managed to calm down. As I approach the dining hall, I notice a guard standing outside of the doors. He stops me and enters before me, announcing my arrival. He holds the door open for me and I slide into the room. Alistair is standing beside his chair, and he looks amazing. He's wearing a beautiful sage green jerkin over a gauzy white shirt. His trousers are chocolate brown and tucked into a pair of beautiful leather boots. His eyes light up as I enter the room, and I can feel my mouth starting to go dry. He strides over to me, taking my hands into his.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you get changed," he says. "I'm going to be spending the whole meal thinking of ways to convince you to let me follow you to bed."

That's it, two can play at this game. "You needn't think overmuch. I won't need any convincing, you're welcome to follow me anywhere…" I give him the most lascivious smile I can muster.

He tightens his grip on my hands and pulls me to him, causing my fingers to splay out over his chest. He leans in and whispers into my ear. "Don't tempt me, you minx, or else I'll be sampling your nectar instead of that of the fruit on our table." He nips at my neck before releasing his grip on me. I wonder idly if it's possible to die from sexual frustration. He steps behind me and slides out my chair, motioning for me to take a seat. I thank him and sit. As he takes a seat himself, one of the servants pours wine into our goblets. Alistair raises his glass to me. "Here's to the first of many meals together." Our glasses make a delicate clinking sound and I take a sip. Since my nerves had gotten the better of me for the past two hours I find myself at the end of my glass a lot sooner than I had anticipated. "Thirsty?" Alistair asks with a grin and a cocked eyebrow.

"This is very good wine," I say by way of explanation. A lame explanation if I've ever heard one. He doesn't seem to notice, however, and refills my glass. "So, tell me a bit about your life before you became a Grey Warden."

Alistair leans back in his chair, swirling the wine around in his glass. "Well, Arl Eamon raised me for the first ten years of my life. He was good to me, and he didn't have to be. Of course everyone assumed I was his, and when he married Lady Isolde, she made certain that I felt as unwelcome as possible. It wasn't long before I was shipped off to the Chantry for templar training."

I grimace. "What an awful thing to do to a child…I can't imagine how it must have been for you."

"Maybe," he concedes. "But she probably didn't have it any easier, having to deal with all of those rumours."

"That's no excuse," I reply. "She was supposed to be the adult. To blame a child for something that's beyond their control is simply…abhorrent." I frown, gazing down at my wine. "She ought to be ashamed of herself." I take another long sip, and when I shift my gaze back to Alistair, he's watching me, a pensive expression colouring his features. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just…when I tell that story to most people, they make excuses for the Arlessa. I was beginning to think that I'd been crazy for feeling the way that I did. It's nice to know someone else that feels the same way," he explains. "What about you? What was your life like before the Blight?"

I smile and begin to reminisce. "Well, of course you know I was born and raised in Highever. My parents first wanted me to be a proper lady, but I soon dashed any hopes they may have had for me to settle down. Father soon saw that I had a talent for fighting, and had me trained. I grew restless after a time, and just before the Blight I travelled to Orlais to study the arts and experience their culture. Then I came back…and I suppose you know the rest," I shrug a shoulder. We continue to chat, discussing our time during the Blight. I'm fascinated by the adventures Alistair has had, and I love hearing about my brother and his time as a Warden. After a thoroughly delicious meal and several glasses of wine, I'm feeling quite loose tongued and giddy.

"Has anyone told you how handsome you are?" I ask suddenly. My cheeks feel warm from having consumed so much wine.

Alistair grins at me. "Is this your way of telling me you think that I'm handsome?"

"My lips are sealed," I reply coyly.

"I'll find some way of prying it out of you," he winks at me. "In the meantime, I think we'd best get you to bed."

I shoot him an exaggerated pout. "But I'm not even tired!" I protest.

"You, my darling, are drunk. And as captivated as I am by our conversation, it would be selfish of me to keep you from sleeping off the drink." He stands and rounds the table, offering his hand to me. "Allow me to escort you to your chambers." I smile and take his proffered hand. He loops my arm into his and leads me from the dining hall. We're soon standing outside of my bedchambers, and he turns to face me. "I had a wonderful time, Elissa."

"As did I, Alistair," I bite my lower lip and dip into my supply of liquid courage. "If you want, you can come in…"

He shakes his head. "No. As much as I'd love to spend the night with you, I'm afraid that I can't. Not in your current condition. I'd be taking advantage, and before you say anything, my decision is final," he pulls me into a tight embrace, and I hear him inhale deeply. "Maker, you smell good." His voice is strained and throaty. "Ah well, the anticipation will only make it that much better," he kisses the top of my head. "Goodnight, my dear. I will speak with you tomorrow."

Before I can reply he ushers me into my room and closes the door. I curse under my breath, entirely frustrated by the situation. I pull off my dress and slip into a nightgown. As I slide under my covers I'm certain that I won't be able to fall asleep. It isn't long before my eyelids become heavy, and my head is swimming from the wine. This combination drives me into a deep slumber, one that I know I will not wake from easily.

* * *

There's an incredible weight on my chest. I open my mouth to scream, only no sound comes out. Too late, I realize that my mouth is covered. My eyes fly open and I see a man that I don't recognize straddling me. My heart begins to hammer wildly, the adrenaline rush and fear course through my veins. His eyes are cold and unrelenting, his lips curled into a sneer. "Did you really think you could get away with it?" he snarls. I shake my head, completely bewildered. "You will not destroy our hold over those filthy mages. We won't allow it! Once I've finished you off, I'll be heading straight to the king's chambers. He'll suffer the same fate as you."

His free hand wraps around my throat, and he begins to squeeze. I gnash my teeth and manage to bite into his fingers. The skin breaks and his blood spurts into my mouth; it coats my gums and tastes like copper. He lets out a strangled cry and he ceases the strangling in order to punch me with his uninjured hand. He drives his fist into my mouth, which causes my lip to split instantly. He pummels me several more times, catching my nose and cheeks. I hear the sickening crack of my facial bones breaking. I struggle to free myself, but it's useless as he has my arms pinned by my sides with his knees, and I can't get enough leverage to knee him. My head is pounding from the hits that he's raining down on me, and my breath catches in my throat when he reaches to his side and unsheathes a particularly sharp looking dagger. He brings it down to my chest, and at the last second I manage to jerk to one side. A searing heat lances through my shoulder, and I squeeze my eyes shut in a vain attempt to block out the pain. Much to my surprise, the killing blow doesn't hurt at all. I only feel the warm gush of blood that splatters against my chest, signalling the end of my life. I know I'll be dead in scant seconds, and I only wish that I'd had the opportunity to warn the king. It isn't until I hear a wet, gurgling sound that I think to open my eyes. The intruder's mouth hangs open, only it emits no sound. My gaze moves lower, and I see the gaping wound in his neck, which continues to pump blood out at an alarming rate. He slumps to one side, falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Zevran stands above me, gripping a blood stained dagger. He races to my closet and grabs the first garment he can get his hands on. He returns to my side and reaches out, ripping my night gown to allow better access to the wound in my shoulder. He presses the article of clothing to the wound to stem the flow of blood. I hear heavy footfalls in the corridor, and loud shouts.

"-ank you Zeh," my mouth doesn't seem to want to work. It feels like my cheeks have been stuffed with wool.

Zevran's expression is both angry and sorrowful. "Don't speak, Elissa. You have lost a great deal of blood. Conserve your energy until we can get you healed."

I look up to see several guards burst into the room. Alistair pushes past them and enters, his gaze falling first to the dead man on the floor, then to my bloodied form on the bed. His eyes widen and he rushes over to me. "Blood of the Maker! Elissa, are you alright? What happened?"

"As you can see, she was attacked. Luckily her attacker was not able to complete the task," Zevran snaps. "Hurry and get her a healer and a health poultice. We need to treat this wound." One of the guards tosses Zevran the herbal paste, which he begins to apply to my stab wound. I let out a cry of pain - the substance stings like a son of a bitch. As always the effects are well worth the initial discomfort. Zevran expertly dresses the wound and Alistair kneels next to me, taking my hand in his.

"One of the healers will be here soon. Don't worry, we'll have you fixed up in no time," no sooner had he spoken the words, when a harried mage enters the room. She winces at me.

"That must have hurt," she mutters. A faint glow erupts from her hands, and my flesh and bones are instantly stitched together. "There will still be some bruising, but she won't scar. She'll look as good as new by this time tomorrow," the mage assures. Having completed her task, she bows and leaves the room.

Alistair turns to his guards. "Please give us some privacy," he commands. They too depart, and Zevran, Alistair and I are left on our own. Oh, not to mention the dead body as well. "I know that man," Alistair growls. "Back when I lived at the Chantry. He was training to be a templar as well."

"The Chantry," I rasp. "They're coming after us because of the ruling about the Circle. He said that after he finished with me, he was going after you."

"I can scarcely believe that they would resort to this…actually forget it. I most definitely believe it. I only wish that I'd never convinced you to side with me on this matter. If I'd let things be…"

I push myself to my elbows. "Don't be ridiculous. I knew what I was doing. We can't let them push us around like this. We need to figure out what to do. Unfortunately, I don't think it's safe for you here."

"Nor is it safe for you," Zevran points out. "In fact, I think the best course of action would be to leave Denerim."

Alistair nods. "I agree. Perhaps we'll need to travel to Highever sooner rather than later." That stops me cold.

"What? You want to go to Highever? But why?" I exclaim.

"It's relatively isolated, and not nearly as chaotic as Denerim. It's an excellent place to stay until we figure out our next move," Alistair replies. "We'll leave in the morning. For tonight, I want Zevran to stay with you. I don't want anything else happening to you." He shoots a glance to the Antivan, who simply nods his assent.

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Fine, but get the sodding corpse out of my room. It's already starting to stink!"


	11. On The Road Again

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **I just wanted to give another thanks to my readers. Your comments are always greatly appreciated! I always look forward to the feedback I receive; and of course, I love all of my silent readers as well! This chapter is a bit shorter than the rest. I was going to include the next...well development in this chappie, but decided to split it up. That way things don't seem too jumpy. Enjoy!

* * *

**11. On The Road Again**

I spare a glance at my reflection in the mirror. As the mage had predicted, there are no scars on my face, only a slight bit of bruising colours my jaw and contours my eyes. I spend the next morning packing my clothes and what few possessions I had brought to the palace. Sadly everything manages to fit in two large sacks. Somewhere my mother is spinning in her grave at the thought of her only daughter having so little. Oh well, she'll have to make do with the fact that what I lack in material worth, I more than make up for in spirit. As if that's supposed to be consolatory. As I'm buckling a belt to my battle robes, Zevran enters my room.

"Bruises seem to suit you," he remarks. "I daresay the purple brings out your eyes."

"Ha ha, very funny," I deadpan. "Have you heard who's all coming with us?"

Zevran nods and begins counting off our travelling companions. "There will be the king of course, as well as a few of his trusted guards. He also felt it best to bring along the mage that healed you last night." He pauses and licks his lips, as though contemplating whether or not to continue. "I also took the liberty of inviting a friend of mine. I believe that her talents will be quite useful in the days ahead."

"Oh?" I tilt my head to one side. "Who is she?"

"You'll find out soon enough," he smiles. "She will be joining us on the North Road."

I shrug a shoulder. "Very well, if you say you trust her, then I'm fine with it. Are you all packed?"

"Yes I am. We will be leaving within the hour, or so I'm told. How are you faring? Has your shoulder healed?"

"It's much better, though still a bit stiff. Can't really complain, considering the alternative would have been dying," I toss a grateful smile his way. "I wanted to thank you again for saving me, Zev. If you hadn't been there…"

Zevran places a finger to my lips. "Do not think about such things, my dear. The point is, I was there. That is all that matters." He wraps an arm around my shoulders and guides me from the room.

* * *

The first couple of days on the road were quite uneventful. We tried our best to go unnoticed, but a group of people surrounded by royal guards was sure to garner at least a bit of attention. Luckily no one was stupid enough to try to rob us, but the few people we did meet on the road were quick to beg us for food or money. Alistair was always generous with such people, and gave them as much food as he could spare without causing the rest of us to starve. When we set up camp on the third night, I decided it was time to get to know the mage that had helped me out during my time of need. Admittedly I had hoped to spend a few moments of privacy with Alistair, but since we'd set off from Denerim, spare time was something he could not afford. He was constantly surrounded by his guards, and while I was happy to chat with him any time that I could, talking was all we could really do. Especially since he'd taken that silly vow to woo me like a gentleman, and think with his big head instead of the head he possessed south of his belt. I tried to tell him that the latter could be used on me any time he wanted, but he seemed set on courting me in an honourable fashion. Honour is _so _overrated, but I digress. I find the mage seated by the fire, taking small bites of an apple.

"I was so wrapped up in everything that I'm afraid I forgot what few manners my mother had taught me, and foolishly neglected to thank you for helping me," I take a seat next to the mage. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Elissa." I hold out my hand to the mage.

She takes my hand in hers and shakes it firmly. Good, I can't stand people who give me wimpy handshakes. "I am Bridget, my lady, and you needn't apologize. If anything, I should be thanking _you_. Were it not for you and the king, the mages would not have autonomy." She tucks a stray strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.

"Given the aid you provided during the Blight, I think you've more than proven yourselves worthy," I sigh, shaking my head. "I only wish the Chantry saw things the same way. Why do they have to be so bloody pigheaded?"

"It's what the Chantry does best," Bridget replies. "I'm quite surprised that a noblewoman such as yourself is so…open minded about mages."

I grin ruefully. "You mean, you're surprised I'm not some pious lady that thinks anything the Chantry says is the word of the Maker and we should therefore follow their ideas to the letter?" I roll my eyes. "Until I get solid evidence that they have a direct line to the Maker, I think I'll go with my gut. And my gut says that magic is not nearly as horrific as the Chantry would lead us to believe. If I've learned one thing in my travels, it's that people fear what they don't understand. I don't think you should be put on a leash just because you were born with certain skills."

Bridget smiles at me widely. "My lady, I think you and I are going to get along just fine." We both laugh softly and continue to gaze at the fire, watching as the flames dance and cast embers out into the stony fire pit. After a time my eyelids begin to droop from exhaustion and I excuse myself, letting everyone know that I'll be turning in for the night. I slip into my tent and change into a linen shift, one that scarcely provides enough warmth to keep me from freezing to death. I curl up in my bedroll and close my eyes, settling in for another uncomfortable night.

* * *

"Elissa? Elissa are you awake?" a voice whispers from the entrance of my tent. My eyes flutter open.

"I am now," I hiss back. "Who's there?"

"Alistair," comes his reply. "Listen, I have a, uh, favour to ask." He opens the tent flap, and by the faint glow being cast by the campfire, I can tell he's wearing nothing but a pair of wool trousers. The sight of his broad, muscular chest is enough to rouse me from my sleepy state. My mind begins to run through several naughty scenarios involving me licking various substances from his delicious abdomen. I give myself a mental shake. Such thoughts only lead to more frustration.

"Maker's breath, Ali! You must be freezing!" I prop myself up on my elbows.

"What? Oh, I'm fine. I'm used to it," he grins lopsidedly. "Did you just call me Ali?"

I feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "Yes, I guess I did. Sorry, I didn't mean to address you with such familiarity." I mumble.

"No no, I kind of like it. I'll just have to come up with a cute pet name for you too," he winks at me playfully, and I resist the urge to throw a pillow at his head. "Anyway, I came for a reason. I have a problem in my tent."

"Do I really want to know?" I ask wearily.

He blinks a few times. "Huh? No, nothing like that! There's a…there's something in there that I had to get away from." He casts a glance over his shoulder.

"Oh dear, it wasn't Zevran, was it?"

He shakes his head, his expression solemn. "No, Zev I can handle. This was a…" he takes a deep breath. "It was a spider!"

My hand flies to my mouth to stifle a giggle. When Alistair casts a reproving glance in my direction, I lose all control and start laughing hysterically. "You…you were scared off by a spider?!" I'm clutching at my sides as he scowls at me. "You're the king…and…and a Warden, and you're scared of a _spider_?!"

"I'll have you know it was a very large spider with lots of eyes and hairy legs and very very scary teeth!" he shudders. "Reminds me of someone I used to travel with during the Blight. An apostate who was able to shapeshift."

I wipe the tears from my cheeks. "I suppose you want me to kill it for you?" I ask between gasps of laughter. He shakes his head. "Then what do you need me for?"

"I don't want to be in my tent anymore…so can't I just stay in yours?" he's giving me an innocent smile, but I know better.

"Let me get this straight. There's a spider in your tent that you're terrified of. Rather than kill it and be done with it, you want to instead stay in my tent, even though yours is perfectly suitable?"

"That's about the size of it," he replies. "So, can I stay?"

I let out a groan. "Fine, but no hogging the blanket." I shift over in my bedroll to accommodate him. He crawls over to me and slides in next to me. I turn onto my side to give him enough room to sleep on his back. Instead, he curls next to me, spooning me against him. I feel the steady rise and fall of his chest pressed against my back. I silently thank the Maker for the fabric separating his pelvis from my hind-quarters. When I feel a strong arm circle my waist to draw me closer, my pulse quickens.

"Mmm, much better," he murmurs into my hair. "I knew I'd find a way into your bed," he jests.

"One more word and I'm dropping that spider onto your face while you sleep," I threaten.

That shuts him up.


	12. A New Friend

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **A new element of Elissa's past is about to come to the forefront. Nothing has been mentioned of it thus far, so it may seem a bit out of left field. Sorry for that, the idea came to me in a dream, har har. :)

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**A New Friend**

When I emerge from the tent, I'm met with Zevran's knowing smile. I narrow my eyes and slump next to him on a log that had been turned into a makeshift seat. He hands me a plate of roasted potatoes and eggs, which I begin to dig into immediately.

"I see the king decided to join you last night," Zevran says. "And you seem to have worked up a rather insatiable appetite."

I chew my potatoes and swallow before replying. "Nothing happened," I mutter. "He teases me mercilessly, only to leave me high and dry. It's a slow torture, and I don't know how much more I can handle. I woke up this morning and felt _every inch _of him pressed up against my arse. I tried to wiggle up against him, you know, entice him a little. Want to know what he did? He kissed me on the crown and said 'better go get some breakfast, love, before Zevran eats it all'. Andraste's blood, I think I'm going to kill him." I violently spear an egg yolk, causing the yellow substance to smear across my plate.

Zevran chuckles softly. "He is playing you well, my lady Cousland. It's so wonderful to see that part of me rubbed off on him during our earlier travels."

"So I have you to thank for this?" I point my fork in his direction. "You should have let that sodding templar kill me. Maker knows it's the only action I've seen lately." I glance up to see Bridget climbing out of her tent. She wanders over to us, taking up her own plate of food on the way. "Morning, lady mage." I smile and pat the spot on the other side of me on the log. "We were just discussing the finer points of Orlesian art."

"So the king didn't put out last night?" she asks with a grin. I elbow her playfully.

"Shut up and eat your eggs," I retort. Zevran stands and stretches languidly. He bows to both of us and trots off toward the lake, where I presume he's gone to bathe. Bridget and I continue to eat in comfortable silence. I'm actually quite surprised with how easily we're getting along. Normally I don't warm to women easily. Mostly because I don't behave in a way that's deemed to be appropriate for proper civilized ladies. With Bridget, I know I don't have to worry about my crass behaviour. If anything, from what little I know of her, she seems even more outspoken than I.

"I assumed that you were seeing the elf," she remarks suddenly. I cast a sidelong glance in her direction.

"Eh?"

"When we first met, I mean, when I first rushed into your room and found you all roughed up. I just assumed you and the elf were romantically involved. I guess I was wrong," she tilts her head to one side and assesses me with a quiet gaze.

"You mean Zevran? No, he's just a friend. You're welcome to him, if you'd like," the corner of my mouth quirks up into a smirk.

Bridget's cheeks begin to flush prettily. "What? Oh, no. That's not what I was trying to get at. I was just making conversation, being nosy, you know. He's not really my type to be honest."

"You don't like elves?" I ask.

"No, it's not that. I've been with elves before," she says hesitantly. "Uhm, maybe I'm giving you a bit more information than you really want. Let's change the subject." She adjusts her robes awkwardly and I shrug a shoulder. I open my mouth to reply when I notice Alistair's head pop out of my tent.

"Psst! Elissa!" He beckons. "I need your help!"

I roll my eyes. "Don't tell me, you found another spider?"

"No, thank the Maker for that. It's just that in all of the hubbub last night, I forgot my shirt in my tent…could you maybe get it for me? It's so freezing out!" he bats his eyelashes and pouts. I let loose a growl, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I can hear several snickers from around me as I reach into the king's tent and snatch the nearest tunic I can find. I stride over to my tent and thrust the garment in his face.

"Now everyone will think we're screwing," I hiss.

"So? Let them think what they want. First smart comment and I feed them to the darkspawn." He grins widely.

"Look, it's all well and good for you to have a reputation as a smooth operator, but I need to at least appear a _little _chaste. I don't want to be known as your personal whore," I grind out.

Alistair frowns while tugging the tunic over his head. "You know, I'm starting to think that you doubt my intentions. Can't you see that I want something more?"

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Alistair, I'll admit that I'm fond of you, but I just don't think I can… I can't let myself be vulnerable again. It hurts too much."

He stands and takes a step closer to me, reaching out to grasp my hand. "What do you mean, Elissa? What happened?" His eyes are searching mine, but I turn away suddenly.

"Nothing, forget it. That part of my life is over," I murmur. "It's best to leave the past in the past." I begin to wander back to the campfire when Alistair grabs hold of my wrist.

"I can't accept that. Please, tell me."

I look over my shoulder, taking in his pleading gaze. As much as I would love to open up to him, I can't. I'm not ready yet. I harden my resolve and return my attention to the fire. "Another time perhaps." I snatch my wrist away from him and take up my spot next to Bridget. My entire exchange with Alistair had been unsettling, to say the least. It had been quite some time since I'd had to think about that particular element of my past. I'd kept it so deeply buried that I found it difficult to face on my own, much less share the story with someone I barely knew. With everything that had been happening in Denerim and the palace, I'd barely had time to myself to sort through my own feelings. Now, out in the middle of nowhere, self-reflection was becoming a nightly occurrence. Without thinking, I reach up with one hand and glide my thumb and forefinger over the gold hoop earring dangling from my left earlobe. The piece itself was unremarkable. Not once had anyone questioned its origins, which I took to be a blessing in disguise. I'm not sure what I would say were anyone to ask about it. A sudden commotion breaks me from my reverie.

"Halt! You will step no further! State your business!" Several guards have positioned themselves at the head of the camp. Apparently we have a visitor.

"Have no fear," Zevran calls out. He's just returned from his swim, and his damp hair hangs loosely around his shoulders. "She is here by the king's orders."

One of the guards turns to Alistair. "Is this true your majesty?"

Alistair glances over one of the guard's shoulders. "Yep, that's her alright." I crane my neck to try and get a better view, but to no avail. I lean toward Bridget.

"Hey, Bridge, do you know anything about this woman that's going to be joining us?"

Bridget shakes her head, her cerulean eyes darting toward the guards as well. "No, not at all. I know she's an old friend of the king's, but that's it. You do have every right to approach them you know, you _are _the teyrna after all," she points out.

"Ahhh. Good idea." I stand from the log and wander over to where the guards, the king and Zevran have congregated. I push past them until I encounter our newest visitor. She's quite a sight to behold, with wide blue eyes, full pouting lips and chin length copper hair. I place my hands on my hips. "Is this any way to welcome a guest?" I admonish the men. "Please forgive them," I say to the newcomer. "They were apparently raised by dogs…or maybe that was me. I can never remember. Regardless, allow me to welcome you to our humble camp. My name is Elissa Cousland. Who might you be?" I hold my hand out to her. Her eyes widen immediately.

"Oh my lady Cousland, it is an honour!" she brings my hand to her lips and kisses my knuckles. I can detect the soothing lilt of an Orlesian accent. "When Zevran told me I was to help protect someone special, I had no idea it was Ser Aedan's sister! I am Leliana, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you!"

I give a small laugh. "_Le plaisir, c'est le mien, ma belle."_

She lets out a girlish squeal. "You speak Orlesian? A woman after my own heart." She turns to Alistair. "Your Majesty, no wonder you kept her hidden from me." She winks at Alistair who merely flushes by reply. I can't help but laugh.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I say, holding up my hands. "I'm afraid that, as beautiful as you are, you lack the proper equipment. In fact, I seem to recall having this exact conversation not too long ago…"

Leliana grins wickedly. "That's what they all say, my noble beauty. But I have confidence in my skills." She winks at me playfully and throws an arm around my shoulders. "Come now, you must fill me in on all of the details surrounding this recent assassination attempt. I would like to know what I am up against. You wouldn't happen to have any soaps around here? Do you like shoes?"

I cast a helpless gaze over my shoulder at Alistair, who only holds up his hands in defeat. So much for him playing the part of the knight in shining armour. Instead I'm going to have to be subjected to death by shoes.

What an unpleasant thought. Thank the Maker we were getting closer to Highever!


	13. The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters. =(

**A/N: **It's been a while, sorry about that! I promise to try and update more frequently. I also promise that even though I've started a new story, I will NOT neglect this one. I love writing it too much! Thank you so much for your continued support!

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**The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon**

"Who made this stew?!" Alistair demands. He casts a glance around the camp, his jaw set in a decidedly threatening manner.

Bridget raises her hand hesitantly. "I did, your majesty. I apologize if it was-"

"This is the best bloody stew I've ever had! Let it be known that Lady Bridget is our go to girl for all food related matters!" He's only joking about making her the official cook, of course, but the stew is indeed delicious.

"Why thank you, sire. I would be honoured to-"

"Don't worry Bridge, he's pulling your leg about you having to cook every night." I smile. "Personally, I'll just be happy so long as _he's _not in charge of cooking," I nod my head toward the king.

"Hey!" Alistair cries out. "You wound me, dear lady! I happen to be an excellent chef. Why, just the other day one of my guards complimented me on my wonderful pea and lamb stew."

"You mean the one that wound up vomiting all night in the bushes?" I ask playfully. "I'm sure it tasted better coming up than it did going down."

Leliana is watching our exchange with a wide grin plastered on her face. "If I didn't know any better, I would swear that the two of you were a married couple!"

"I would never wed a woman who couldn't appreciate my fine cooking skills!" Alistair jests. I toss my spoon at his head. "Ha! Joke's on you, you're not getting this back!" He says triumphantly.

The bard rolls her eyes and turns to Bridget. "It really is very good. It rivals any meal I've had in Orlais, and that's saying a lot. Though I must say your cooking does not surpass your beauty," she winks at Bridget, who blushes and scratches the back of her neck.

"It was nothing, really. But I'm glad you enjoyed it so much," she glances at Leliana furtively before returning her attention to her food. Ah, so that's why she'd said Zevran wasn't her type. I smile inwardly and continue to shovel food into my mouth.

"You know," Leliana mentions offhandedly. "The way you described the attack…it doesn't really sound like the Chantry's style."

"You're just saying that because you lived in the Cloister for so long, and you think the Chantry can do no wrong," Alistair scoffs. "The Chantry I know would do anything to barrel down anyone that got in their way."

"I never said the Chantry was perfect," Leliana protests. "I simply believe that they would sooner wage a war against you than use subterfuge as a means of getting rid of you."

I tilt my head to one side. "You know, she has a point. The Chantry has always been very preachy, and they want their views and ideals known to everyone. They'd never give up the opportunity to act all self-righteous and start something with the king publicly."

"The man that attacked you was definitely a templar," Bridget points out. "I recognized him from the Tower." She gave a short shudder. "He was a mean bugger, too. Liked to watch us squirm." Leliana placed a comforting hand on Bridget's shoulder.

"What if he only _thought _he was working on behalf of the Chantry?" I venture. Alistair gives me an incredulous look. "No, hear me out. What if someone within the Chantry was acting on behalf of someone else…someone in a political position. They could then use the Chantry as a ruse."

"It's definitely something to consider," Alistair concedes. "We should send word to Denerim and ask Eamon to discretely inquire into any connection between the higher ranking nobles and members of the Chantry."

"That's a good idea." I glance down at my stew and frown at the fact that I'm now spoon-less. "Can I have my spoon back now?"

Alistair grins wickedly. "You want your spoon back, do you? Alright, I'll give it back on one condition."

My stomach flutters nervously. "What's the condition?"

"I get to give you a kiss."

I chew on the inside of my cheek, contemplating the pros and cons of such a bargain. We hadn't ever really kissed before, unless you counted that one time in his study, but that was hardly mentionable considering I hadn't responded in kind. All of our other contact had consisted of his torturous teasing. Small nips to my neck, a gentle brush of his lips to my ear…the memories cause my skin to tingle. "Uhm…You want to kiss me? Right here in front of everyone?"

He shakes his head. "Of course not. I'll decide when and where. Do we have a deal?" He holds my spoon between his thumb and index finger.

"Fine," I reply in a huff. I stand and wander over to him, taking the spoon out of his grasp. The mischievous gleam in his eyes is not lost on me, either. I narrow my eyes in suspicion, then return to my seat to finish my stew. I hear Leliana and Bridget giggling together, no doubt laughing at us. I scowl and shovel a large chunk of meat into my mouth.

* * *

I had expected a pile of rubble, a castle in ruins. I expected crumbling walls and charred door frames. I had braced myself for the precise moment that I'd have to see my childhood home completely and utterly defiled.

What I saw definitely did _not _meet my expectations.

The castle walls had been repaired, and from what I could see, replaced with high quality granite. Everything had been fixed! From the doors and shutters, to the lush grass and mote surrounding the castle. Several statues adorned the property. Some I recognized as having been here when I was but a small child, and I wonder idly how they had been salvaged. Alistair notices my open mouthed wonderment and stands beside me.

"It was in a bit of a state when I first ordered the men to fix it up. That was just after your brother died. They managed to get most of the masonry done before you arrived, so I sent in extra bodies to have it decorated for your arrival. I hope you don't mind…" he glances over at me sheepishly.

"I…but how did you know which statues to use…or which tapestries…I don't understand," I whisper breathlessly.

Alistair shuffles his plated boots, which make a slight clanking sound. "There were a number of nobles who had visited your home prior to the…devastation. Many of them remembered certain decorations. It seemed your parents were very well liked."

My hand flies to my throat to grasp the necklace, 'Reflection', that had been left behind for me. "I…I can't believe you did this…"

"I-I'm sorry Elissa. I will have it changed to fit your tastes immediately. It was wrong of me to assume-" His words are cut off as I throw my arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Thank you, thank you so much," I whisper against his shoulder. Shocked as he is by my sudden reaction, his arms circle my waist.

"It was my pleasure. If you want anything changed though, anything at all, just let me know. Your desire is my command." My heart clenched at this statement, as unwilling as I was to give into such intense feelings for Alistair. I had been hurt before, and I wasn't about to relive that pain. I give him one last squeeze and release him. Several party members are staring at us, and Alistair clears his throat. "Right then, we should introduce the Teyrna to her staff, yes? Basil, why don't you go on ahead in and fetch them? We'll meet them in the…" Alistair looks to me for help. This is his first visit to Castle Cousland, and he obviously doesn't know anything about the layout.

"We can all meet in the main hall," I answer for Alistair. One of the guards, who I presume is Basil, folds his arms over his chest and bows, then runs into the castle. I turn to the rest of the group. "Follow me everyone, once we're all settled in, I'll give you the grand tour."

I don't recognize any of the servants, which isn't really a surprise, considering most had probably died in the siege. The majority of them are elves, though there are a few humans scattered in there as well. The head maid is a young elven woman named Neila.

"It is an honour, my ladyship," Neila bows deeply, causing her long blonde hair to tumble over her shoulders. Once upright, she smiles demurely. "All of the guest rooms have been prepared. I took the liberty of having your things placed in your parents' former chambers. The king, of course, will be staying in the main guest chambers just across the hall from you." I nod, trying to mask my inner turmoil. I hadn't given any thought to having to stay in my parents' room. I'm not even sure I'll be able to do it. I silently wish that Neila had checked with me before setting me up in the main bed chambers.

Alistair breaks into my thoughts at that moment. "Elissa, I'm embarrassed to say that I have no idea where my room is. Would you mind escorting me so that I might get settled in?"

I shake myself and regain my composure. "Sure. Neila…would you do me a favour and show the rest of the guests their rooms?"

She gives me an odd look, then smiles easily. "Yes of course, but my ladyship needn't ask for favours. It is my duty to ensure that all of your needs are met." Oh right, that whole nobility thing. Forgot about that.

"Thank you," I nod her way. I lead Alistair to his chambers. He makes the odd comment about several paintings, asking about their origin and such. I can tell he's simply trying to fill the silence. Whether for my benefit or his own, I'm not exactly sure of. We reach the main guest chambers and I open the door for him. "There you go," I smile. "If you need anything else, feel free to ask."

"Well, there is one thing…" he replies. I raise my eyebrows. "Do you think you could help me with my armour? It's a bugger to get off on my own."

"I..suppose, but don't you know how to do it yourself?" I ask nervously.

He smiles widely. "Well I can, it's just easier if someone gives me a hand. Trust me, I promise I won't bite." He holds the door open for me, and I enter. The chambers look quite similar to how they'd been when I was younger. I continue to marvel at the fine job Alistair has done with rebuilding the castle. He's closing the door behind him as I turn to face him. He pulls off his gloves and places them on a nearby settee. He begins to unbuckle one side of his cuirass, and hazards a glance in my direction. "Here's where it gets sticky," he mumbles. I try not to swallow too audibly and wander over to him. I unfasten the buckles on the opposite side and help him to tug the plate off, leaving him in a simple beige tunic. "Right, thanks. Hold on while I get rid of the greaves. That much I can do on my own."

I tuck an errant strand of hair behind one ear. "Well, if you don't need my help anymore, I can leave you-"

"No no, I wanted to talk to you about something. Wait just a minute," he replies. He sits on the edge of the bed and makes quick work of his boots and greaves, which further confirms my suspicions that he didn't need my help at all. When he stands he's in plain clothes, which, while shapeless, still manage to compliment his strong frame.

"What did you want to talk about?" I ask.

He takes a step toward me. "I thought it was about time that you paid up. You do remember our little bargain from earlier, don't you?" He grins wickedly.

I shift my weight from one foot to the other. "Of-of course. Are you sure now's the best time? I mean, you must be exhausted, and I should really see to the others and of course there's-" He bridges the gap between us and wraps one arm around my waist, crushing me to his chest.

"You're not talking your way out of this one, woman," he murmurs. In one swift motion he leans down and his lips crash into mine. The sheer force of his desire nearly sends me reeling. His tongue immediately seeks entrance into my mouth, and I respond by parting my lips. He tastes faintly of mint and honey, and I find myself returning his kiss fervently. My tongue massages against his as my hands find their way to his shoulders. I feel his fingers tangle in my hair. My head is swimming. He sucks my lower lip into his mouth and bites gently, causing me to let loose a mewl of pleasure. I can feel his arousal pressing into my abdomen, and I begin to rub against him, eliciting a highly satisfying groan from his throat. He breaks away from me then, his hands lightly cupping either side of my neck. "We'd best stop now, lest I lose control and toss you down onto the bed," he says huskily.

"What would be so bad about that?" I ask, my voice heavy with desire.

He chuckles, placing a kiss on both of my eyes. "All in good time, my dear. I don't want to rush into things."

"Rush into things? Andraste's ass Alistair, we've been moving at a snail's pace!" I moan petulantly.

"Trust me, it will be worth the wait." He winks at me, which just increases my ire. I punch his shoulder, fully intending it to hurt, but he only smiles in response. "Violence is so unnecessary," he chuckles. "Now, off with you. I need to take a cold shower. You more than fulfilled your end of the bargain." I scowl at him and stalk out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

I should have sodding well let him keep my spoon!


	14. One For The Ditch

**Disclaimer:** I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay! And the length is a bit...well it's long. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**One For The Ditch**

I wasn't in the least bit surprised when Niela announced that there would be a welcome home dinner. She comes sailing into my bedroom the following morning as chipper as you please. I pull my covers over my head as she opens the drapes.

"Up and at 'em, my ladyship," she chirps. "We need to decide what you will wear this evening for dinner."

I groan and roll over onto my side. "Can't I just wear a potato sack? I'm sure that would make a lasting impression on the king." I was still peeved at him for leading me on last night.

"Maker, no!" she gasps. "We will need the proper jewellery, a fine dress, shoes, make up…" she counts the items off on her list.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have maybe, three dresses, and none of the other items. I do, however, own an amazing pair of leather boots. I kicked the shit out of many a brute wearing those stompers, let me tell you," I offer proudly.

"Fear not my ladyship, for the king has provided an entire wardrobe for you," Niela replies.

"He what?" I poke my head out from under the covers. "You mean the clothes I arrived with, right? He did provide most of those, it's true."

"No, my ladyship. Before you arrived, he had trunks of clothes brought in. They're of the finest quality, I assure you."

I sighed, running my fingers through my mass of tangled brown hair. "I don't know whether to be happy or angry. I don't want people thinking I'm some sort of charity case…or worse yet, a kept woman."

Niela gave me that strange look that I'd already grown accustomed to. "If the king wishes to bestow gifts upon you, you should feel nothing but joy." She obviously has no idea where I'm coming from. "I think that you'll look quite fetching in the violet gown," she reaches into my wardrobe and extracts said dress. "And for your shoes…oh these ones are lovely!" She pulls out a pair of black satin…oh Maker how will I get my feet into those?!

"Can't I just wear my boots?" I moan.

"My ladyship, you must wear something that is appropriate for your station. Rugged leather boots, I'm afraid, are not fit for a teyrna. Nor is a potato sack," she gave me a lopsided grin.

I sigh, tossing the blankets aside. "Oh alright, but I don't need to get ready now, do I? Dinner won't be for hours."

Niela blinks a few times. "My ladyship, it is already mid-afternoon. You have been sleeping for quite some time."

My mouth hangs agape. "Mid-afternoon?!" My gaze shifts to the window, and based on the sun's positioning, I can tell that Niela is telling the truth. "Why did you let me sleep in so late?" I demand, immediately regretting my chiding tone.

Niela looks crestfallen. "I would have woken you up sooner, but His Majesty insisted that you get as much rest as possible after your trip. I apologize, my ladyship."

"No, I'm sorry. It isn't right for me to be angry at you, especially if _His Majesty_ ordered it." I sigh once more and roll my eyes. "Just another example of his demonstrating his control over _my _surroundings."

She's giving me that look again. Oh well, I guess I can't make her understand how I feel. Instead of arguing, she approaches me, brush in hand, ready to attack the rats' nest that has formed in my hair. I let out a few yelps as she combs through several mats and tangles. "Shouldn't we do my hair after I have the dress on?" I ask.

"No, my ladyship. This dress you will step into, and it laces up the back. You will not be pulling it over your head." She explains. To me it sounds dreadfully complicated, and just another example of a noblewoman's useless frippery. Niela continues to brush my hair. From her pocket she seizes several pins, which she begins to place into my hair. My tresses are drawn back into an elaborate do, with a few strands loosely framing my face. Niela adds a few sprigs of soap wart* to my hair, the finishing touch to her creation. "There! Your hair looks marvellous!" she beams. "And to be honest…my ladyship, you are very appealing. You have no need for make up. Let's just get you into this dress." I follow her lead and step into the lavish dress. Niela pulls it up past my waist and helps me to slide my arms into the proper holes. The sleeves are relatively short, really just a band of material that hangs loosely on my upper arms. The front of the gown…leaves little to the imagination.

"Erm…Niela…this dress…are my tits going to pop out at any moment?" I ask uncertainly.

Niela laughs, the sound is like the tinkling of bells. "No, you needn't worry. This is a corset dress. You'll be pulled in quite tightly."

That sounded scary and highly unpleasant. "What do you mean, 'pulled in tightly'?" Niela is standing behind me, busying herself with the ribbons at the back of my dress. "I really don't like that whole 'tightly' notion-ANDRASTE'S FLAMING SWORD SODDING THUNDER HUMPER!" The slew of expletives flies from my lips. I could barely move. I could hardly breathe. Niela lets loose a frustrated sigh.

"You want to look good for the king don't you?" she asks. She continues to pull at whatever torture device she has fastened to my back. More breath is expelled from my lungs. I let loose a choking gasp. "Well then, you need to endure a bit of pain," she replies. Is it just me, or do I detect a bit of _satisfaction _in her voice? Why that little sadistic….By the time the night is out, I swear I'm going to put a snake in her bed. That'll teach her for making me wear this beastly, horrible, awful and positively wretched torture device that is clearly disguised as a dress. Yes, a big snake, with black beady eyes! Or better yet a spider! Oh wait…Ali is the one that hates them…Maker's breath what am I even on about? I think the corset is cutting off the oxygen flow to my brain. Niela stands before me, hands on her hips. Her blue eyes are wide with wonder. "You look magnificent…" she murmurs. I spin around and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

Okay, maybe I look like a bit of a fox. But is it really worth this amount of pain? Hardly! "Niela," I rasp. "I can barely move. I think one of my ribs has punctured a lung."

Niela waves a hand dismissively. "Don't be silly, my ladyship. Believe me, I could have made it much tighter." I find that hard to believe, but I _really _don't want to test her theory. Much to my surprise, we'd spent at least a couple of hours preparing for this dinner. By the time Niela has fastened a satin choker around my neck, it's time for me to make my way to the dining hall.

I feel more than a little ridiculous when one of Alistair's guards announces my arrival. It all seems so over the top, really. When I enter the room I notice that everyone is already seated at the table. Upon my entrance, Alistair leaps to his feet, followed by the rest of our little entourage. Leliana and Zevran are both giving me looks of approval. Bridget, on the other hand, is staring at me, mouth agape. Leliana reaches over to her and affectionately nudges her chin, prompting Bridget to shut her mouth.

Alistair strides over to me. He takes both of my hands in his and smiles widely. "You look…well, good enough to eat, really." His eyes twinkle. "Perhaps the cook should be serving you as dessert." He winks at me and leans in, kissing me on the cheek. He leads me to the table, where he of course takes a seat at the head (he is the king after all), and I sit to his right. Leliana is sitting to my other side. As one of the servants pours the wine she leans over, whispering into my ear.

"Have you given any thought as to what you will do if he asks you to be his queen?" she asks.

"Hey now! No whispering at the table!" Alistair chastises playfully. After all of the wine had been poured, Alistair raises his glass. "I would like to propose a toast," at his announcement, everyone lifted their wine goblets. "To our lovely Teyrna Cousland: may she find happiness no matter where she calls home." Okay, now what's _that _supposed to mean? I don't like the little smirk that Zev is casting in my direction. As dinner is served, I can feel Alistair's penetrating gaze. I shift uncomfortably in my chair, and finally turn toward him.

"Is there something I can help you with, Your Majesty?" I ask politely.

He smiles. "I was just thinking about something. Tell me, once all of this business with the Chantry, or whoever is trying to kill us blows over, do you plan on staying here in Highever?"

I choose my words carefully. "I suppose so…though if Your Majesty should require any aid in Denerim, I would most certainly travel there to offer any assistance."

"What if I wanted you to stay on at the palace on a more…permanent basis?" he asks.

Uh-oh. "To what end?"

Alistair's smile widens. "That's something we can discuss in private. For now, I just wanted to get an idea of how you'd respond to living in the palace." He takes a sip of his wine. "Egads, this is really good!" He takes a few more sips, and one of the servants promptly refills his glass. Looks like it's the king's turn to get royally wasted.

"And just when are we going to be having this 'private' discussion? Because I'd like to know as soon as possible if I'm to be shipped to the palace to live out my existence as a royal advisor." I shudder at the thought. Day after day of snivelling nobles and bland politics for the rest of my life. I definitely hadn't signed up for that! At least in Highever I'd be relatively isolated.

"Don't worry, dear lady. We shall discuss it as soon as we get a moment alone, I promise," he replies.

I sigh and shake my head. I try to ignore the king's continued glances at my new dress, as it seems to have him captivated. I'm tempted to tell him that my eyes are on my face, not bursting out of my dress. The rest of dinner is pleasant enough. Leliana regales us all with several tales of her travels, Zevran tells us of his adventures with the Antivan Crows, even Bridget manages to have us all in stitches with her stories of the uptight templars in the Tower. I begin to notice just how drunken Alistair has become, for his words have become slightly slurred. When he loops an arm around Zevran's shoulder and begins to sing, we're all in agreement that he should head to bed.

"I will see to it that he is safely put to bed," Zevran assures me. "I'll be right back." He helps Alistair to his feet, much to the king's slurred protests, and the posse of guards, king, and elf are off. Leliana and Bridget take this opportunity to pounce on me, eager to hear more about my…situation with the king.

"So?! Does he want you to live with him or not?" Leliana asks excitedly.

I roll my eyes. "He probably just wants to keep me close so I can give him advice on politi-"

"Oh hush, we all know it's more than that! He's so taken by you, Elissa! The glow he emits whenever you're near…you'd have to be blind not to see it." Leliana gushes.

I frown. "I don't know…I just…I want to make sure before I let myself feel too much…"

Zevran returns and takes a seat opposite me. "The king is in his quarters and out like a light. I imagine that we will not hear from him until late tomorrow afternoon." He chuckles softly.

Niela approaches me just then. "My ladyship, I was wondering if you needed anything else? If not I would like to retire for the evening."

I smile and nod. "Yes of course, get some rest. You've had a busy day."

Neila curtsies and smiles graciously. "You are too kind, my ladyship. I shall see you tomorrow morning." At her departure I suddenly gasp.

"Bollocks! I needed her to get me out of this bloody dress!"

Leliana giggles. "I can help with that. I have plenty of experience in removing elaborate dresses." She turns to Bridget. "It's quite an undertaking. Perhaps you could come too?"

Bridget blushes and nods. "Of course."

We leave Zevran to his own devices and head back to my room. After many anguished cries and sobs, Leliana and Bridget manage to remove the dress. They don't stay for long, however, and are soon retiring to Leliana's own guest room. Lucky them. I flop downon my bed, mind racing with the question that Alistair had asked of me. Could I really stay with him in the palace? Was he really so serious about our relationship that he'd ask me to be his queen? I mean, I'd only really known him for a few weeks. But I can't deny the fact that I have strong feelings for him…Perhaps staying in Denerim with him wouldn't be so bad…I decide to confront him on these issues first thing tomorrow morning. Assuming he's sober.

* * *

I awoke quite early the next morning, and I was seemingly bursting with energy. I guess having the proper resolve does that to you. I pull on a dress and head to the kitchen. The cook is already busying herself with breakfast preparations. I find a pot of freshly made tea on the table and grab it, along with two cups. I figure the king is probably going to wake with a splitting headache, so the tea might help. I carry the tea back to the king's quarters, humming softly under my breath. When I reach the door it strikes me as odd that there is no guard stationed outside. I shrug a shoulder and burst into his room, tea in hand.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead! Time to start a new-" I stop dead in my tracks, my stomach drops. The king is still sleeping soundly, soft snores being emitted from his mouth. His arm is circled around bare shoulders, a naked torso pressed to his chest. Long blonde hair covers the woman's shoulders. Both figures begin to stir. My mouth has gone dry, and for a few moments, I can't speak. Alistair's eyes flutter open.

"Ngh, Maker…Elissa? What are you-" he glances down at the naked woman that he's holding in his arms. "I-Elissa wait, it isn't what you-"

I paste on a fake smile. "I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty! I didn't know you had company. I will leave immediately." My voice is dripping with so much sweetness I nearly choke on it. My eyes dart to the woman when she shifts on top of him, and turns to face me. I recognize her immediately, and her look of shame is not lost on me. "Neila! Oh dear, I had no idea. Don't worry, I'll have someone else take care of your duties." I hope they don't see through the façade…please, please, please, don't let them see my pain…

"My-my ladyship-I-" she looks like she's ready to start crying. I hold up a hand to stop her from talking.

"Really, it's no problem, I'll just be on my way!" I spin on my heel and dart out of the room, letting the door fall shut behind me. I hear the king shout out my name, but I ignore him. I rush into my own quarters, still holding the bloody tea. I set it down, my hands shaking from what I'd just seen. I look down at my trembling fingers. They seem so…unlike me. For several moments I simply stand there, in the middle of my chambers, numb to my surroundings. Then the pain hits me, a strangled cry ripping from my throat. I double over, clutching at my abdomen. The tears don't come right away. They never do. Only waves of anguish. I didn't know just how strongly I felt for him until that very moment. I try to tell myself that I should have known better, that I was fooling myself thinking that he actually _loved _me. But damn it, I had believed him! I sink to the ground, arms circling my knees. There's a pounding at the door.

"Elissa!" I recognize Alistair's voice. Of course it would be him. "Elissa please! We need to talk about this!" Maybe if I don't answer, he'll give up and think I'm somewhere else. "I know you're in there, I'm not leaving until you answer me."

I slowly get to my feet. I smooth out my dress. I wipe my cheeks, though they're dry, as I'd yet to shed any tears. I steel myself. All of my movements are purposeful and precise. I must show no weakness. I open the door, that same shit-eater grin plastered on my face. "Yes, sire?"

"Elissa, please, it's not what you think," his eyes were pleading. "I don't even know what happened. I just woke up and-"

"Your Majesty, who you take to bed is none of my business. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get ready for the day." I close the door and lock it. Alistair continues to pound at it incessantly.

"We need to talk about this!" he demands once again. I sit on the edge of my bed and face the wall, trying in vain to block him out. After several minutes I hear murmured voices. I recognize one to be Zevran's. His voice is soothing, calm. He obviously has an effect on the king, because all of the shouting and pounding eventually stops. And then, blessed silence. I crawl into my bed and lie on my side. I pull my knees up to my chest and begin to weep softly.


	15. Trial By Stone

**Disclaimer: **I do not own DA:O or its characters.

**A/N: **I apologize for the long wait! Unfortunately I had to have my appendix out, so I was in recovery for some time. Stupid appendix! But it's gone now, so here's a new chapter to take its place!

**Warning: **I've changed the rating to M due to language and sexy stuff. Be warned.

* * *

**Trial by Stone**

_Sweat beading atop fevered flesh. Fingertips glossing over my most sensitive parts. The feel of his stubbled chin grazing across my inner thigh. My fingers raking through blonde hair. His voice whispers into my ear, thick with lust._

_"Ellie…I need you, I love you..."_

_It sends shivers down my spine. My back arches, he fills me so completely. He is the one. He was always the one. My lips part to call out his name whilst in the deepest throws of ecstasy…_

"My dear? It is time that you woke. You have confined yourself to that room for an entire day."

My eyelids flutter and open. Zevran is leaning in my doorway, a rather concerned look graces his features. "Zev?" I ask groggily. "What are you doing?"

"I have come to rouse you from your seemingly interminable slumber, dear Elissa. Though from your moaning I had thought that perhaps you had found it in your heart to forgive the king. Alas, you must have been dreaming of him instead." He smirks widely, his eyes sparkle knowingly.

I scowl, tossing my coverlets aside as I reluctantly get out of bed. "I was _not_ dreaming about _him_," I spit maliciously. "He made it abundantly clear that I am not what he wants in his bed. He prefers the company of blonde elven women. I nowhere near fit that description."

Zevran sighs, shaking his head. "I am not altogether sure that our dear friend Alistair was entirely at fault in that matter."

"Oh? So he just tripped, fell and landed square inside of poor Niela?" I say caustically.

"Assuming he was inside of her at all," Zevran mutters under his breath.

I frown, folding my arms over my chest. "What are you sodding talking about Zev? I _saw _them with my own eyes, all naked and clinging to each other…and…ugh." I feel the bile begin to rise up in my throat once again. "Anyway, it's not even my business, I have no claim over the man. He's the king. He can bed whoever he wants. Why should I care?" I pray that my voice is strong enough to fool the man who I've come to think of as my closest friend and confidant. I feel a bit of guilt over lying to him…but let's face it, I'm lying to myself as well.

"Elissa…There is no shame in admitting that you have feelings for Alistair. What has happened is obviously upsetting to you and to deny this would be a grave injustice…not only to yourself, but to him as well." Shit, so much for being a master manipulator. Zevran's words seem to strike a chord with me. I can feel my firm resolve begin to crumble. The lump in my throat becomes unbearable, and the tears begin to well up, threatening to spill over.

"Why…" my voice is little more than a whisper. "Why is it that every man that I love…is taken from me?" I feel Zevran's arms circle my waist, drawing me in. I let loose a cry of frustration. My anger and sorrow join together and make for a bitter combination. "Father….Aedan….Fergus….and…" I pull away slightly, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"And who?" Zevran asks. "Are you referring to Alistair?"

I shake my head and tug at my earring. "No. Though he is the latest on the list."

"So you do love him. I am glad that you have finally admitted it to yourself," Zevran rubs my back. "I was beginning to think that you would be in denial forever."

"Fat lot of good it does me," I snort. "He's taken up with my head maid."

Zevran places his hands on my shoulders and pins me with one of his penetrating gazes. One he has no doubt used to beguile his many past marks. "As I said my dear, I am not convinced that we are getting the full story concerning our king and this…what is her name? Niela. There are too many factors that simply do not fit."

I roll my eyes. "What's not to understand? He got sloshed, got randy, wanted a toss in the sheets, so he called up one of the servants for an easy lay. Case solved."

"I thought you might think that. Which is why I took the liberty of gathering all of the concerned parties. They are all in the dining hall, awaiting your arrival."

"You what?!" I cry out. "You have no right….what is it some sort of trial? This is ridiculous! Don't tell me that you're going to…to _interrogate_ Niela? Maker's blood she probably only screwed him because she'd get killed if she said no! I don't want anyone to be subjected to such humiliation."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" Zevran asks. "Or are you afraid that we may find that the king is not at fault, and that you may need to face your intense feelings for him?" I open my mouth to utter some sort of witty retort, but Zevran holds up a hand to silence me. "Regardless, the king has commanded that you be present at this…meeting. So you had best get dressed and get to the dining hall immediately." Instead of letting me argue, he simply leaves. I let out yet another cry of frustration, only this one is more fuelled by anger than anything else. If Alistair had been anyone other than the king, I would ignore such a request. Unfortunately I couldn't very well dismiss his summons. With an exasperated sigh I brush my hair and tie it up into a simple ponytail. Instead of dressing in any noble clothes, I opt for my battle robes seeing as I'm just itching for a fight. Satisfied that I'm prepared to face _his Majesty, _I head for the dining hall.

Once I reach the doors, I inhale deeply, steeling myself for the discomfort and pain that I'll no doubt feel upon seeing him. I manage to don a stoic expression and enter the room.

Of course, he's the first person I see, and the sight of him nearly sends my breath from my lungs. He leaps to his feet and rushes toward me, arms outstretched. "Elissa, please, you must listen to me." His voice isn't plaintive, simply soft and insistent. Before he can take his hands into mine I take a step back and shake my head.

"I said that I would listen to what everyone had to say, and I intend to keep my word. Though I doubt it will make much of a difference," I lower my voice so only Alistair can hear me. "As I told you earlier, your Majesty, what you do in your bedroom is none of my business. I was brought on to tutor you in the ways of Ferelden politics, nothing more."

"I don't think you really mean that," Alistair replies. "And I know that once you hear what I have to say, you'll be willing to…well, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

I turn my head to one side to avoid his gaze. "Very well, let's get this over with." It's at this point that I notice Niela sitting at the dining table, eyes red and puffy. It's obvious she's been crying, and I feel a pang of guilt. I know full well she had little choice in the matter of sleeping with Alistair. "Niela?" Her head snaps up at the sound of my voice. Her lip quivers.

"Y-yes my Ladyship?" she stammers.

"I apologize in advance for these…theatrics. Please know that I do not hold you responsible for any…well. Just know that there is nothing to feel upset about."

Niela nods sullenly. "You are too kind my Ladyship." I take a seat next to her, and Alistair sits across from us, his gaze never faltering from me. I am somewhat surprised when Leliana enters the hall as well. She takes a seat next to Alistair. Zevran stands on Niela's other side, and gazes down at her.

"I would first begin by thanking you for being a part of this, lady Niela. I promise you that I will make this as painless as possible. The king simply wishes to clear up a few things about the other night." Zevran explains. "Can you tell us what exactly happened?"

Niela bites her lower lip and nods. "Yes, of course. Following dinner, after the king had retired to his chambers, I was summoned to his rooms. When I arrived, he was already in bed. He told me that he desired me…and then asked me to join him under the sheets."

I clench my jaw. All this time he'd claimed that he wanted to take things slowly…to pursue me like a gentleman. It was all utter bullshit. Either that or he'd been screwing women on the side the entire time.

"That's it?" Zevran inquires. "He just beckoned you into his bed and had his way with you? There was no…foreplay to speak of?"

Niela shifts in her chair uncomfortably. "I would rather not go into the details."

"Please, my dear. It is very important that we discuss _every _detail," Zevran insists.

I snap my head toward Zevran. "Is that really necessary Zev? What possible importance can it have?"

"Trust me, my dear." He returns his attention to Niela. "Well?"

Niela gazes down at her lap. "He did ask that I pleasure him with my mouth…" she admits, her voice dripping with shame. She glances up at me, tears in her eyes. "Please forgive me your Ladyship! I would never have done it were it anyone but the king. I feared the consequences of refusing him."

"It's alright Niela, I understand. You really don't need to explain yourself." I reassure her. I would say more to make her feel better, but I can already tell that my voice is shaky.

Zevran seems to ignore this entire exchange. "So, you went down on his Majesty, did you? Did you notice anything…peculiar while you were down there?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Niela replies.

"Surely you noticed his tattoo. It is just beside his pelvic bone, mere inches from his manhood. If you were in such close proximity…" Zevran trails off.

Niela's eyes widen. "Oh, his tattoo. Yes I did see it, of course."

"Oh?" Zevran smiles. "What is it of?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The king's tattoo. You say that you saw it. What is it of?" Zevran presses.

When Niela doesn't reply right away, I glance at her questioningly. Finally she clears her throat. "A…a crown?"

Alistair folds his arms over his chest. "Not even close," he says.

Zevran leans in close to Niela, his eyes narrow with anger. "You lied, dear Niela. You never slept with the king, did you?"

"I-I-Of course I did! Why would I lie about such a thing?! Just because I couldn't remember a silly tattoo-"

Zevran cuts her off. "When I brought the king to his quarters last night, he could barely stand, much less have sex with anyone. I also found it quite curious that he was so intoxicated, considering he only had three glasses of wine."

"How can you _possibly _know how much wine the king consumed?" Niela snaps angrily. "And I tell you, the man was quite capable of rutting when I saw him last night."

Zevran grins maliciously. "I kept count, dear lady. Do you wish to know what I think happened? I think you drugged the king over the course of the evening. After I took him to his rooms, you went up there and made it seem like the two of you had slept together. The king would not have heard you enter, nor would he have felt you climb into his bed. You made quite certain of that."

"Why would I do such a thing?" Niela asks incredulously. "It's absurd."

"To upset the teyrna of course. She has strong feelings for the king, and you knew that discovering the two of you had slept together would shatter her." Zevran replies.

I had watched this entire exchange in shock. At Zevran's proclamation, however, I leap out of my chair. "Zevran, how dare you presume to announce such things! It-it's not even true, anyhow." I cast a weary glance at Alistair, who almost seems…pleased with Zevran's words.

"Oh please," Niela says scathingly. I start at her sudden change in demeanour. "Everyone knows you're dying to fuck him. That's what made this assignment so easy." I stare at her, eyes wide. "I've been caught, there's no sense in continuing with social niceties," she shrugs a shoulder.

"Who do you work for?" Alistair demands.

Niela sighs. "If I tell you, will I be spared?"

"Perhaps. I can guarantee that if you don't tell me, your death will not be a quick one," the king threatens.

"Fine," Niela grinds out. "I was hired by Bann Esmerelle of Ameranthine. My assignment was to make it appear as though I'd slept with King Alistair in order to upset the teyrna enough to give her reason to have him sent away. Once the king left, I was to assassinate the teyrna. There are some men camped out on the North Road who are lying in wait to launch a surprise attack on the king's men once they'd taken to the road. This attack would obviously occur upon the king's return to Denerim." Niela explained.

I frown. "Bann Esmerelle was notoriously loyal to Rendon Howe. I imagine that's the reason for this attack. Clever of her to try and blame it on the Chantry." I mutter. As furious as I am…fine I'll admit it, I'm quite happy that Alistair didn't screw Niela.

Alistair motions to his guards and points to Niela. "Take this woman to the castle dungeon," he pauses for a moment and glances at me. "You have a dungeon, right?" I nod. "Good, take her there until I decide what to do with her." The guards grab hold of Niela, who makes no move to struggle. Once they've left, Alistair shifts his attention back to me. "So this Bann Esmerelle is someone who you think would move against us?"

"Definitely," I reply. "I'm thinking we should go to Ameranthine immediately in order to confront her."

"Good idea," Alistair says. "I actually have other business there anyway. I need to greet the new Warden-Commander at Vigil's Keep. My visit is long overdue. Perhaps they'll be kind enough to let us stay there for a while. The Wardens don't involve themselves in political matters, but I'm hoping the Commander will be cooperative since I'm a Warden myself, not to mention it was your brother who saved us from the Blight."

"I think I would like to join you," Zevran adds. "I wish to keep an eye on lady Elissa."

"You'll get no argument from me," Alistair responds. "Thanks again for your help in this matter, Zevran. The fact that you remembered that bloody tattoo saved me a lot of heartache."

Zevran chuckles. "It was no trouble, your Majesty. I knew that the girl was lying, especially since I was the one that saw just how…incapacitated you were last night. I simply needed to catch her in one of her lies."

I raise an eyebrow at Alistair. "So you actually _do _have a tattoo down…there?"

"I do indeed," he grins wickedly. "Would you like me to show it to you in private?" Wow, he sure doesn't skip a beat.

I turn my nose up haughtily. "I think I'll pass, thank you very much." I look up as Zevran and Leliana head for the door. "Where are you two going?"

"I have a beautiful woman waiting for me in my bed," Leliana replies. "I just wanted to make sure everything resolved itself." She shot me a wink.

"And I must prepare for our upcoming trip," Zevran says. "I'm sure you and the king have much to discuss." I frown as they both leave, and I don't even notice that Alistair has rounded the table and now stands behind me. He lifts me from my chair into a standing position then gathers me to his chest. "What are you doing?!" I demand.

"I told you I would never do anything to hurt you like that," he murmurs into my ear. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that ordeal. I know how upsetting it was."

I frown up at him. "I told you, I'm fine, I wasn't bothered at all," I lie. I let out a shriek when he sweeps me off of my feet and throws me over his shoulder. "What are you doing you silly oaf! Unhand me this instant!" I begin to pound at his back. He makes no reply, and simply carries me down through the main hall, passing many curious servants and guards. He doesn't stop until we reach my room, where he opens the door and flops me unceremoniously onto my bed. I let out a squeal and hurry to my feet. "How dare you?!" I shout up into his face, my finger poking into his chest. His grin only makes me angrier.

"You are going to admit your feelings for me right now, whether you like it or not," Alistair says.

"Don't be ridiculous!" I growl and step around him. He responds by pressing my back to the wall, barring my escape. He leans in swiftly and begins to kiss at the curve of my neck, taking small nips at the flesh. When he pulls away he gazes down at me, his eyes boring into me.

"Tell me," he commands. His hands are pressed against the wall on either side of my head, and I have no way of slipping away from him. The heat has already begun to pool at my centre from his teasing my neck.

"No…I can't," I reply stubbornly. I gasp when he dips his head yet lower and trails his tongue down the centre of the valley of my breasts. Damn these stupid Chasind robes!

He reaches down with one hand and runs his palm up the length of my inner thigh. His thumb rubs against my cloth covered slit. I let out a mewl of pleasure. "Tell me," he demands once again, his breath hot against my skin.

"Fine," I choke out. "I love you, you stupid, stupid man!"

He lifts his head and smiles down at me. "See, was that so hard?" I punch him in the shoulder. He growls and practically rips the clothes from my body, not that it's very difficult. Soon I'm standing before him, naked as the day I was born. I feel my skin begin to turn crimson as he stares at my form. "Maker's breath, you're beautiful…" he whispers. He pulls me to him, and I can feel his arousal pressing against me through his trousers. He makes quick work of the only barrier between us, and soon our bodies are pressed together, flesh against flesh. He leans in and kisses me deeply, his tongue probes my mouth hungrily as he reaches down to my flanks and lifts me up, pressing my upper back against the wall gingerly. "I love you Elissa," he whispers into my ear, and in one movement he penetrates me, his cock sliding into my sheath. I moan loudly and my head lolls back and rests against the wall. He begins to thrust at an agonizingly slow pace. He soon carries me to the bed, not once breaking our bond. He lays me down into the mattress and continues to thrust into me, only now at a quicker pace. I close my eyes and bite my lower lip, for at this new angle he is able to fill me completely, and the stories Isabela had related were not exaggerated. Though in this slight pain, there is intense pleasure. "Open your eyes," Alistair says. "I want you to look at me while you climax. I want to see the pleasure in those beautiful green eyes of yours." I comply, and it isn't long before his wish is granted and my inner walls are milking his manhood as an orgasm rolls over me. I wrap my legs around his waist and grind into him. His head dips low and he captures one of my breasts between his lips and he begins to suckle hungrily. I cry out and my fingernails rake down his back. He pistons into me, and I plead for him to thrust harder still, for I am about to tumble over the edge once again. He does as I ask quite eagerly, and as the ecstasy washes over me once again, I call out his name. He moans loudly and spills into me, his body jerking above mine. He thrusts into me one last time, then rolls onto his back and pulls me atop him. We cling to each other breathlessly. A sudden thought pops into my head and I break the silence.

"Your tattoo! In all the chaos I didn't get a chance to see it!" I turn my gaze to his pubic area and see…"Alistair…is that…is that a pigeon?"

Alistair laughs mirthfully. "Yep. During the Blight your brother and I travelled with a golem named Shale. Aedan and I made a bet about whether or not Shale was male or female. Since Shale hated pigeons - well, all birds really, but pigeons most I think, the loser had to get a tattoo of a pigeon. Since this particular golem was created using the Anvil of the Void, the winner would get a kick arse tattoo of an anvil. I bet that Shale was a male…I was wrong."

I begin to laugh quite loudly. "Of all things, I would have never guessed a pigeon!"

"Laugh it up, woman. You'll be becoming quite familiar with that pigeon if I have anything to say about it." Alistair teases.

I smile at him wickedly. "Just as long as you return the act in kind."

Alistair pulls me into a tight embrace. "I'm looking forward to it, love."


	16. The Bear Necessities

**Disclaimer: **I do not own DA:O or any of its characters.

* * *

**The Bear Necessities**

My hand slides over to the opposite side of the bed, seeking out the warm body that should be resting there. _Should _being the operative word. The mattress and pillow are cold, and I wonder for a moment if our coupling had been a dream. But no, based on the dull yet pleasurable ache between my legs, all sources indicate that some major sexing had happened.

The only problem is, he's not in my bed anymore. I let loose a sigh and climb out from under my covers. I wander over to my armoire and extract a loose fitting tunic and a linen skirt. As I sit in front of my vanity and brush my hair, I wonder if perhaps our little romp had been a one time occurrence. Plenty of men profess their undying love to get a woman into bed. Why should Alistair be any different? I'm slightly sickened by this thought, mostly because if it's true, I fell for it easily. My thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I call out.

"It's me, love," comes the reply. The door opens and Alistair enters. He's balancing a tray of food in his arms. "I thought you might be hungry after last night, so I brought us up some food." He winks at me and grins.

I blink several times and push away from my vanity. "You didn't have to get the food yourself, someone else could have brought it up."

Alistair chuckles and shakes his head. "The day I'm unable to get my own food is the day I throw myself face first into the Deep Roads." My respect for him increases several notches at this statement. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering his upbringing. He places the tray of food on the bedside table. "You got dressed already? That's unacceptable." He reaches me in less than two strides and lifts me from my seat. I let out a startled squeak as he carries me to the bed. "Let's get you out of these clothes," he murmurs.

"But I just put them on not five minutes ago," I huff. "And I thought we were going to eat?"

"Dear lady, we'll be travelling to Amaranthine by morning's end, and spending the better part of the week on the road. I intend to take advantage of having an actual bed at my disposal for at least another couple of hours." He dips his head low and captures my lips.

How can I argue with that?

* * *

By early afternoon our merry band has set off and is making haste for the rolling hills in the direction of Amaranthine. We decide it best _not _to use the commonly travelled North Road, seeing as Niela confessed that mercenaries would be lying in wait. Instead we take a less travelled path, and while it makes for more difficult travel, it is nevertheless much quieter. Alistair's guardsmen lead the way, followed by Alistair himself and I, with Zev, Leliana and Bridget bringing up the rear. Our banter is light-hearted considering the circumstances of our trip, and I can't help but feel warmed at being surrounded by people whose company I actually enjoy. Leliana and Bridget are holding hands, and I inwardly applaud Bridget for having landed a woman as beautiful and cultured as Leliana. When we set up camp for the night, Bridget is more than happy to prepare dinner, much to everyone's satisfaction. I'm stoking the fire, sitting on an old stump, when Zevran takes up a seat next to me.

"Will you tell me now about the one you loved before Alistair?" Zevran asks.

I sigh and prod at the campfire with a long stick. "Why do you want to know about it? It's in the past." I reply.

"I have discovered that it helps to speak of such things. To unburden yourself…it is quite therapeutic," Zevran says. "I promise that I will tell no one."

I tilt my head skyward before answering. "I'm not worried about you telling people, it's just that I've never spoken of him to anyone. I loved him so much…I thought we'd be together forever. Only it wasn't meant to be, I suppose."

"Did he leave?"

"Not exactly. Though he was taken from me, in a sense." I exhale sharply. "I'm sorry, I know I'm being cryptic. Let me start at the beginning. I met him while travelling from Orzammar. He'd stumbled across my camp, and I nearly took off his head, fearing that he was a bandit. He certainly looked like one, clothes torn and covered in mud. But even in his disheveled appearance…he shot me the most disarming grin and I was putty in his hands. We travelled together, even made plans to settle in Denerim. When we were just a few miles outside of Denerim, we were accosted. In the heat of battle I was knocked unconscious. When I awoke, he was gone. I don't even know if he's alive. For all I know he may have fled, suddenly spooked by the notion of being tied down to a woman." I shrug a shoulder. "Who knows, right? Like I said, it's in the past."

"Yet you still wear the earring he gave you," Zevran observes.

I snort. "I suppose at first I wore it because I was in some kind of mourning. Now I wear it as a reminder not to fall head over heels so easily, lest my heart be broken yet again." Zevran smirks amusedly while glancing over at Alistair on the other side of the camp. "Yes, Zev, I'm well aware of my failure to abide by that notion. Let's just hope that we aren't attacked by a gang of-"

"Darkspawn!" Alistair shouts suddenly and leaps to his feet.

I stand and extract my daggers, twirling them as I whip my head to and fro. "I don't see anything," I say to Alistair.

He glances at me, a solemn expression colouring his features. "I can sense them nearby…a moderately sized group. Maybe about twenty." No sooner had the words left his mouth, the creatures appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The guardsmen rallied around Alistair, forming a protective human shield. Three genlocks descend upon me, blades brandished and lashing outward. I deftly avoid their attacks and manage to circle around one to stab at its exposed flanks. One of the three monsters fall, and I glance up momentarily to see Alistair pushing at his guardsmen in anger. "Stop protecting _me _and concentrate on _her_!" he shouts while pointing at me.

"But your Majesty, you are the king, we must protect you," counters one of the guards.

Alistair scowls. "She is your future queen, and you will do as I command."

My heart leaps into my throat. "What?" The momentary distraction has left me open for attack. Only it isn't metal that tears into my flesh, but a sudden blinding pain that courses through my veins. My body is lifted from the ground, my head lolls back and my limbs dangle helplessly. It feels as though my entire body is being crushed.

"Elissa!" Alistair cries out. A faint gurgling escapes my throat. As I fall to the ground, the two remaining genlocks lift me, one holds my legs, the other grasps my arms. I try to struggle, only my muscles feel like dead weights. I hear Alistair shouting, but it's no use. The camp is surrounded by darkspawn, and for some reason these two creatures have decided that they want me for dinner or something. As they carry me through some heavy brush, the sounds of the camp become fainter and fainter. I wonder idly what these two are going to do with me. Somehow I doubt they were sent to bring me back to their lair for tea and scones. I let loose a peal of hysterical laughter at this thought, and I almost miss the menacing growl. My head rolls to one side and I spy a rather large bear glaring at us. Hm, eaten by darkspawn or mauled by a bear, which is worse? I'd wager that the bear has better breath. Before the genlocks can react, the bear closes the gap between us. For some reason I still feel incredibly giddy, and just as the bear descends on us, I turn my face to one of my darkspawn captors and chortle.

"I think it thinks we're supper," I tell the monster, though I'm sure it has no idea what I'm saying. The next few moments seem to happen in slow motion. The genlock carrying my legs screams and relinquishes its hold on me. To my utter horror and fascination, the bear's jaws clamp down around its neck, breaking the bones instantly. Before the other genlock can react, the bear swipes at it with an incredibly large and meaty paw, the claws effectively tearing the darkspawn's face clean off. I'm dropped to the ground completely, and I let out a soft grunt. I rub my backside and wait to be mauled. The bear stares at me.

I stare at the bear.

I lift an eyebrow at it. "Are you going to eat me?" It seems like a sensible enough question. The bear simply grunts, as though the very thought of eating me is absolutely disgusting. "Well, I'll have you know that I probably taste very good. Much better than the darkspawn anyhow." I roll onto my side slowly, fully aware that discussing fine dining with a bear is simply absurd. I turn just in time to see Zev, Alistair and Leliana rush over to me.

"Elissa! Are you alright?" Alistair kneels in front of me, voice full of concern.

I wave him off. "Don't worry, the bear saved me."

Alistair's expression is priceless and I can't help but giggle. "A bear…saved you? I don't get it, what's so funny?" He glances up at Leliana and Zevran, but their attention is being held elsewhere.

"She was obviously stricken by a spell. She is mildly delirious, but the effects should wear off soon," says a sultry voice from behind Alistair. I peer over his shoulder. The bear is gone, and has been replaced by a raven haired beauty. "'Twould seem that you fools were incapable of protecting her, though I am hardly surprised." She folds her arms over her chest, cocking an eyebrow at Alistair.

"Oh, Maker! What are _you _doing here?" Alistair moans.

"Repaying a debt," the woman replies. She turns her attention to me. "You are a capable woman. Be sure to look after yourself, for these nitwits can be relied upon for naught. I counted your brother as a friend, and would hate to see his sacrifice go to waste." Without further word or explanation, she turns and transforms into a spider before my very eyes and crawls away into the forest.

"Did you see that?" I exclaim. Everyone nods. "I seem to be the only one affected by it. I take it you all know her?" They nod once again. "Riiight. Okay, someone is going to tell me what just happened, and who she is."

Alistair sighs. "It's a long story, love. I'll tell you all about it once we get back to camp."


	17. Hungry for Love

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.

**Warning: **Lovin' ahead....bow chikka wow wow...okay I apologize for that...it was really terrible. Try not to let it ruin the rest of the chapter for you. =P

* * *

**Hungry for Love**

"So, she just took off right before the final battle? But why?" I frown, tilting my head to one side.

Alistair shrugs. "Honestly, I have no idea. I know she and your brother spoke the night before we were to face the archdemon, but he never told me what it was all about. I can't say I was surprised by her actions though. She was always a complete and utter bitch."

I laugh softly. "Now now, Alistair. Some would accuse me of being the same. Besides, she saved my ass today."

"You, my darling, are not a bitch at all. Maybe a bit of a shrew, but never a bitch--no, don't hit me! I bruise easily."

I stick my tongue out at him. After we'd returned to camp, I had changed into a nightshirt and joined Alistair in his tent where he told me about Morrigan. I sit across from him, my legs folded beneath me. "So, you really think the Wardens will be alright with us staying there?"

"I don't see why not…I mean, the Commander is the arl, so any political unrest is bound to affect them," he replies.

I nod slowly. "Yes, that's very true. And I also wouldn't mind meeting him. I like to know who the members of the Landsmeet are, and I imagine the Commander will have a rough time of it, him being Orlesian and all." A sudden thought pops into my head. "What did you mean before, when you told your guards that I was their future queen? I don't remember agreeing to that. Nor do I remember you asking. Were you just trying to get them to help me?"

Alistair gives me a sheepish grin. "I was hoping you'd forget about that…but…I meant it. I want to be with you, Elissa. I know this isn't the most romantic way to ask, in the middle of the woods in a tent…"

"Isn't this all a bit sudden?" I begin chewing on my lower lip.

He leans forward and takes my hand. "All I know is that I love you, and I'd be a fool to let you go. You don't have to answer right away, I know you've been through a lot recently. Just…promise me you'll think about it?"

"Alright…you're sure this is because you love me, and not because Eamon has been pressuring you about an heir?"

Alistair grins. "Trust me, this has nothing to do with anyone besides you and me. Though…the idea of making mad passionate love every night trying to conceive isn't exactly off-putting." He winks at me and I slap his arm playfully. He's faster than he looks, and he quickly grasps my wrist and pulls me toward him. Before I know it, his lips are pressed against mine in a searing kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and tug him to the ground. He pulls away from me after a time and gazes down at me, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You know, there's been something I've wanted to do ever since I laid eyes on you." I raise an eyebrow at him. He reaches beneath my nightshirt with one hand and tugs my smalls down my legs. He tosses them to one side and leans back down to kiss the curve of my neck. He plants wet kisses along my collarbone, then moves further down. He grabs hold of one of my legs and drapes it over his shoulder and glides his tongue along my inner thigh, stopping just shy of my wet centre. He blows on it softly, causing me to buck my hips upward and let out a small mewl of pleasure. He chuckles at this and runs his thumb along the slick opening. Just when I think he's going to torture me forever, I feel his tongue flicker against my bud. My back arches and I moan while reaching down to tug at his hair. He inhales my scent and groans deeply. He suckles at the tiny bead of pleasure and brings up one hand to insert two fingers into my slit. He plays me like a finely tuned instrument, and I begin thrusting upwards against his mouth, begging for release. Before long the tension builds in my lower abdomen, sending a shiver up and down the length of my legs, straight down to my toes. I bring up my fist and bite it to muffle the sound of my climactic cry of pleasure. Alistair laps up my juices hungrily, then slowly returns to eye level. He kisses me, and I can taste myself on his lips. I'm not sure when he'd managed to remove his pants, but I'm not about to complain. He rolls onto his back and pulls me on top of him. I straddle his hips and reach down to slide his length into my sheath. I grin when his eyes roll back, and begin riding him. He thrusts upward against me, and we move at a slow, rhythmic pace for quite a while. I flex my inner muscles around his shaft, which elicits a loud groan on his part. Apparently he can't take anymore slow torture, and he pulls me down, allowing him more leverage to thrust at an alarmingly fast pace (not that I'm complaining). His fingers grasp my flanks as he bucks his hips, and I bite his shoulder to keep from crying out too loudly, I don't want the entire camp to know what we're up to after all. No one could ever accuse the king of being a selfish lover, for he doesn't let up until he feels me climax and tighten around him. I whisper into his ear, telling him that I love him, and he spills into me. We're both breathless and sweaty, but Maker do I feel good. I kiss him once more and then roll over onto my back.

"Mmmm," is all I manage to murmur.

"I agree," he replies.

I curl up to him, resting my head against his chest. It isn't long before we're both fast asleep.

* * *

For the rest of the week we were fortunate enough to avoid further darkspawn attacks. At one point Zevran snuck up on an attractive guard while he'd been bathing, which _almost _turned into an attack, but aside from that, our time on the road was relatively dull. Bridget and I spent a lot of time discussing her life in the Tower before she'd been assigned to the palace. I knew now more than ever that granting the mages their autonomy had been a sound decision. The things those people had to endure all because they'd been born with a gift was positively criminal in my opinion. Of course Alistair and I spent many a night in his tent (his was nicer than mine, after all) which prompted a great deal of smirks on the part of our travelling companions.

It's week's end and we've finally reached Vigil's Keep. I'm somewhat taken aback by the plethora of changes the castle has undergone. The last time I'd been here was to visit Rendon Howe and his family. The front yard, which had once boasted an orchard and several other flouncy gardens, now housed some merchants, a medical area, houses for people staying at the Keep…the list went on. I found the changes to be quite positive, if I'm being honest with myself, and it made the visit a lot less daunting than I'd previously believed it to be. Our group is greeted by the Keep's seneschal, and he starts giving us a tour of the compound. As we reach the vending stalls I see a familiar face.

"Well I'll be damned," I grin widely. "Herren you dog! Did you wrestle Wade away from his beautiful emporium to set up shop in this Maker forsaken shit hole?"

Herren's eyes widen. "Lady Elissa! I hardly expected to see you here! To what do we owe the pleasure?"

I shrug a shoulder. "The king needed to check up on some things, official business and all that. I'm just tagging along." Herren gives me a knowing smile, which I ignore. "So how have things been here?"

"I've been miserable and cold, I'll have you know!" Wade pipes up from his usual spot. "They don't give me _anything _interesting to work with… well...except for--" he casts a furtive glance at Herren. "Never mind."

"I'm sure something amazing will come along Wade," I turn back to Herren. "How are the new Wardens turning out?"

Herren sighs. "None of them have the same fire that your brother had. They just seem like cast offs…like they were only brought in because it suited their own personal interests. No mention of duty or sacrifice." He snorted derisively. "The biggest insult is when the Commander conscripted the Howe brat. Can you believe it?"

My skin begins to tingle suddenly, and I can feel my heart start hammering against my chest. "Oh?" I try to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Yes," Herron continues. "He's staying inside the Keep right now. He's probably in the throne room."

I nod stiffly, forcing an amicable grin. "Well, I'd best be off. Can't keep the king waiting." I turn on my heel and I can hear the blood rushing through my head. The sounds of the Keep are drowned out…all I can focus on is getting into the throne room. I'm not sure, but I think Alistair calls out to me at one point, but I continue my mission. When I finally arrive at the entrance of the throne room, I notice a Private is stationed there. I nod at her curtly, announce myself and she lets me pass. The room is beautifully decorated, and at first the only person I see present is a dwarven woman that bears the tattoos and armour of the Legion. Normally I'd stop and chat, but I'm far too engrossed with my task. I'd nearly given up hope when _he _walks into the room.

Shoulder length charcoal hair.

Eyes as grey and cold as tempered steel.

That proud nose.

Those full lips.

My hands immediately reach for the daggers on either side of my hips. I extract them, my eyes narrowing in on my target. That's when he notices me standing there, my lips pulled back against my teeth. He opens his mouth to say something, but I don't want to hear it. I launch myself at him, daggers drawn and at the ready. He doesn't even have time to move, and within seconds I'm on top of him, my blades pressing into the supple flesh of his throat. "_Howe_," I hiss into his face. He gazes up at me, his expression unreadable. "I've wanted to do this for two and a half years…" The corners of my mouth turn up in a lunatic smile, and the tip of one of my blades begins to pierce the flesh.

"What do you think you're _doing_?" a voice cries out from over my shoulder. I pay it no mind, as my dagger is so damn close to finishing the job…only…I can't move. Maker's blood! Why can't I move? My eyes dart back and forth. I can't even turn my head. A sudden panic descends upon me, and Howe starts to wriggle out from beneath me. I want to scream at him to stay put, to be a man and take what's coming to him…but I can't move my mouth.

Another voice pipes up, and I'm filled with an overwhelming sense of relief. "Elissa? Elissa what's wrong? Who did this to you?" I can tell from his tone of voice that Alistair is both worried and furious. "Did someone cast a paralysis spell on her?" And just as suddenly as the paralysis had set in, I'm able to move again. When I turn, I see Alistair storming toward someone…I can't quite make out who it is, since he's hidden behind a pillar. "It was you wasn't it?" Alistair demands. He reaches out and I can hear another man…the man who'd asked me what I was doing…cry out suddenly.

"Maker's breath, you're a _templar_?" my blood runs cold. My stomach drops. That voice…I slowly make my way over to where Alistair stands…_No_…My hand flies up to the ring in my ear. My eyes are as wide as saucers. It's at that moment that the man sees me standing there, and his mouth drops open. "Ellie?" he asks in bewilderment. Alistair's gaze snaps back and forth between the two of us.

I swallow audibly, and I open my mouth to speak the name I'd tried so hard to forget…the name of the man who'd taught me about love…the man who'd kept me warm on many a cold night…the man who stole my heart. My voice is barely above a whisper. "Anders..."


	18. A Little Cue And Eh

**Disclaimer: **I don't own DA:O, Awakenings, or any of its characters.

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait between updates! I promise that the next one won't take nearly as long. ;D

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**A Little Cue and Eh**

"Andraste's tits and arse, what are _you _doing here?" Anders asks, his voice full of…well shock, obviously.

I sigh and pull my fingers through my hair. "I could ask you the same thing." I glance over at Alistair nervously before continuing. "I'm here in an official capacity. As Teyrna of Highever."

Anders blinked several times. "You…took over your teyrnir? I thought you hated politics."

"I do…but it was my brother's last request. It's a long story…wait a second, you still haven't told me what _you're_ doing here." I frown and fold my arms over my chest, trying my best to hide the anxiety I feel at having my former lover meet my current one.

"Funny story, actually. I'm a Grey Warden now," he grins slyly and leans in toward me. "Bet you never thought you'd get to bed a Warden, eh? Well, now's your chance!" He spreads his arms out toward me, ignoring the scowl that I shoot in his direction. Same old Anders. I'm about to offer him one of my signature scathing remarks when…Oh Maker, the shit hits the fan.

"I have an even _funnier_ story, _mage_," Alistair hisses. "The Teyrna is already spoken for, by _another_ Grey Warden, no less. So you'd best hold your tongue." He wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me against him possessively. Ugh, I _hate_ when men act like this.

"Is that so?" Anders arches an eyebrow. "Last I checked, the lovely lady can speak for herself."

I roll my eyes. "Both of you are acting like children." Not that they'll listen.

"I'm not sure how you know Elissa, but make no mistake, whatever role you used to play in her life is over," Alistair practically growls.

Anders doesn't seem impressed. "I've a question, if you'll indulge me your _Majesty_," he leans in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Does she still taste like raspberry pie? Tangy, with that _hint _of sweetness?"

A sickening crack reverberates through the room. It's the sound of Alistair's fist connecting with Anders' face. The mage is smart enough not to strike back, instead opting to heal himself while the king shakes out his hand. "Stop it, both of you!" I snap. "I'm not some bone for you two mutts to slobber over." I turn to Alistair, who's glaring at Anders. "We'll talk later, I promise. For now, we need to deal with…" I suddenly remember why I'd stormed into the throne room in the first place. I whirl around, my eyes narrowing into slits. I see Nathaniel Howe standing next to the seneschal. "Seneschal Varel, what the _fuck_ is Nathaniel Howe doing with the Wardens?"

"I can answer that," comes a voice from over my shoulder. Blood of the Maker, aren't there enough people in the room? I spin around _again _(all of this twirling will eventually make me ill, I'm sure) and am face to face with…a man I've never met before. Better than an ex-flame or the son of my family's murderer I suppose. "Allow me to introduce myself. Gerod Caron, Warden-Commander of Ferelden." His voice his heavily accented. He bows first to Alistair and then to me. "I conscripted Nathaniel Howe. He was caught breaking into the Keep, and it took four Wardens to bring him down. I thought it impressive and decided that he'd make an excellent addition to the Order."

I clench my fists, my fingernails digging crescent shapes into the palms of my hands. "That…_worm's_ father slaughtered my entire family, excluding my brothers, of course. Fergus killed himself over the grief of losing his wife and son." The venom is spewing from my lips. "And perhaps you remember my twin brother, Aedan…the one responsible for ending the Blight? He would be _disgusted _that a Howe was within the Wardens' ranks."

"My lady," the Commander inclines his head slightly. "I am deeply sorry for your loss-"

"Spare me your tired platitudes," I spit out. "I should demand blood rights."

Alistair gently places his hand on my forearm. "Elissa…the Wardens are not subject to blood rights…once someone is conscripted, they are free of any past crime. Otherwise everyone would come knocking at their door demanding that someone be killed for one thing or another. It's…unfair, but it's a fact. They seek help from where ever they can."

"I would grant her wish, nevertheless." We all turn at the proclamation. Nathaniel fixes me with his unwavering gaze. "She lost her entire family, and it was all because of my father. I don't blame her for wanting me dead."

I'm tempted to take him up on his offer. I would love nothing more than to see his blood spill on the throne room's floor. "Just stay out of my sight." I hiss. I gesture to Alistair. "The king has more pressing matters to attend to."

"Yes…Commander, perhaps we could speak in your chambers? There is something I wish to discuss with you," Alistair says.

The Commander nods once. "Of course. Is this a political matter, or Warden business?"

"It may be both," Alistair replies.

"Very well. Will the Teyrna be joining us?"

Alistair raises an eyebrow at me questioningly. I sigh and shake my head. "I don't think I'm in the right frame of mind to be diplomatic, truth be told. Is there any way I can just…rest?"

"Of course. The seneschal will show you to your rooms," the Commander says easily. "Varel, if you will?"

"Yes ser," Varel responds automatically. He strides over to me. "This way, your Grace." I follow the seneschal to what will be my chambers for the next…who knows how long. The fact that I need to be in the same vicinity as Nathaniel Howe makes me want to vomit. I pass by Anders, who reaches out to grasp my arm.

"Ellie…we should talk soon," he says softly.

"Later," I mumble. For the time being I want as little drama as possible. This kind of shit never happened when I was staying at the Pearl.

I toss and turn in my bed. I can't seem to get comfortable. I let out a huff of exasperation and toss my covers aside. Too many thoughts are spiralling through my head at once. Alistair, Anders, Nathaniel, Bann Esmerelle…This entire trip has turned into one gigantic cluster fuck. I'm almost happy to hear a knock at my doors, though I doubt it will be a welcome distraction. I pull a linen shift over my head (I can't be answering the door in my smallclothes after all) and answer the knock. Anders stands on the other side of the door.

"Hi," he says.

"Hello," comes my reply. My, aren't we paragons of fantastic conversation? "What are you doing here?"

Anders shrugs a shoulder. "I told you we needed to talk…so, can we talk?"

"I suppose," I step aside and allow him entry. I leave the door open…don't want anyone getting the wrong idea. He takes a seat at the table that's been set up in my room. I sit opposite him, my eyebrows raised. "So…talk."

Anders heaves a sigh. "I wanted you to know that…I'm sorry I didn't try to find you once I'd escaped the Tower again. After everything we'd been through, I should have at least…I don't know, made an attempt."

"Anders…I thought you were dead," my voice catches and I look away. If I make eye contact with him, I know I'll lose control of my emotions. "I wasn't sure if those bastard Templars killed you, or arrested you…or…" I shake my head. "I woke up and you were just…gone."

"They took me back to the Circle. They couldn't prove that I was a maleficar, so they settled on carting me back to that prettied up prison. I managed to escape again, though…and was caught _again_. The Templars stopped here on our way back, and that's when the Keep was attacked by darkspawn. I helped the Commander restore order, and in turn, he conscripted me when the Templars tried to arrest me again," Anders takes a deep breath. "I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for him."

I let out a bark of laughter. "So, what, he just conscripts everyone he sees?" I stiffen when Anders leans forward, resting his hand over mine.

"I know how difficult it must be for you to see Nathaniel after everything you've been through," he says soothingly.

I frown and pull my hand away. "No, you can't possibly know how difficult it is, but that's beside the point…" I glance back up at him, my gaze locking on his tawny eyes. The memories of our time together comes flooding back to me…the nights at camp with his arms wrapped around me, how his lips felt against my skin…

He reaches up and traces a finger down my ear. "You kept it…" he whispers. I bite my lip and nod. "I've missed you so much." He cups my cheek and begins to draw my face closer to his. My eyes fall shut as I give in to the old feelings…_no_.

I pull back. "No. Anders, we can't just…do this. I'm not the same person I was before."

"I don't care," he replies stubbornly. "I'll just have to fall in love with you all over again. Trust me, it won't be hard."

I purse my lips and shake my head. "Alistair was telling the truth earlier when he said that I was spoken for…though I hate his choice of words."

"I won't give up so easily," Anders insists. "We had something special together, Ellie. I'll make you mine again, I swear it."

"Not if I can help it." I turn and see Alistair standing in the doorway. His arms are folded over his chest, and he's staring daggers at Anders. If looks could kill...


	19. The Sponge

**Disclaimer: **DA, I don't own it, or its characters.

**A/N: **I know it's been ridiculously long since I updated, and I'm awful, but don't worry, I've been thoroughly punished. Lavinia Luscious tossed me head first into Lake Calenhad...so here I am, soaking wet, with a new chapter for you...Oh and as a **warning**, there are naughty bits in this chapter. Just for you, my lady Lavinia. *Winks* I know you love the skin slapping...oh wait maybe I should stop there. ;P On with the show!

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**The Sponge**

Maker's blood, not this again. "Your Majesty," I say smoothly. "I take it your meeting with the Commander went well?"

He casts an annoyed glance in my direction and completely disregards my question. "Just what is _he _doing here?"

I sigh heavily, running my fingers through my hair. If there's to be any diffusing of the situation, I need these two to be out of each other's sights. "We were catching up on old times. He's an old friend from-"

"A _friend_?" Anders interjects angrily. "Don't downplay it Ellie, that sort of thing is beneath you. " He turns to the king. "Your Majesty, before you met the lovely teyrna, she and I were _lovers_."

"Anders! Stop that!" I hiss.

He pays me no mind. "I'm sure you figured that part out for yourself. What you're really wondering is why we _stopped _being lovers. Am I right?" I watch as Alistair's jaw clenches. "Yes, that's what I thought. Well, it's quite simple. Seeing as I was an apostate at the time, I was constantly being hunted down by those irksome templars. I don't have to tell _you _about how bothersome they are though, do I? At any rate, one evening, after Ellie and I had retired for the night, our camp was attacked by, you guessed it, templars! They managed to knock poor Ellie out, and dragged me off to the Tower. We haven't seen each other since." Anders leans back in his chair, his chin raised defiantly as though daring the king to assault him again.

Then Alistair does something that completely takes me by surprise. "It must have been difficult for both of you, not knowing the other's fate. I can't even imagine…" Huh? Where was this coming from? "I apologize for hitting you earlier. No matter how well deserved it was, it wasn't very…_kingly_ of me."

Even Anders seems shocked by this about face. "Yes, well…I did provoke you after all. It's just…I could tell that you and she…and I still…" his gaze falls to the ground.

I reach out and place a hand on Anders' shoulder. "Anders? I know we haven't finished talking yet, but…I imagine the king came here to discuss business. He did just meet with your Commander after all." I try to keep my voice as soft and soothing as possible. I can see the emotions playing out on Anders' face, and I don't want him to feel like I'm casting him aside.

He lets out a deep sigh. "Yes of course, I'll leave you to it." He forces a strained smile and gets to his feet. "Ellie, your Majesty, I shall see you both tomorrow I'm sure." He bows before leaving the room.

"He still loves you," Alistair says softly. My muscles grow tense and I look over to him.

"I know…"

Alistair's shoulders seem to sag. "I—I love you with all of my heart Elissa, but if seeing him today has somehow changed the way that you—"

I lift a finger to his lips to silence him. "That's just it, Ali. Even after seeing him, after rehashing the old memories in my mind, I still love you more than anything." I pause for a moment. "It's kind of scary to be honest," I admit. I watch as a sly smile begins to form on his lips. "What are you grinning about, eh? You look distinctly like the cat that ate the—"

"Pigeon?" He waggles his eyebrows at me.

I blink a few times. "I do believe the expression is 'the cat that ate the canary'."

"I once had a very large cat…did I ever tell you that?"

I moan, tugging at a few stray strands of hair. "Please don't tell me his name was Mr. Wiggums, because honestly, I think it'll be the death of me. All I want now is a warm bath and a bed."

Alistair cocks an eyebrow. "His name was actually Maurice. That part about the bath though? I figured you'd want one, so I took the liberty of having one drawn up for you."

"Really?" I glance over his shoulder. "When's it due to arrive?"

He grins roguishly. "I do believe it's all set and ready…in _my _chambers."

My eyes widen. "After the day we've had, you can't _honestly _expect me to do anything but pass out?"

Alistair leans forward, his full lips brushing against my ear. "Just trust me…" he whispers, his tongue snaking out to lick at the lobe. An involuntary shiver runs down my spine. Ugh, it's not right for one man to hold such power over me!

* * *

Upon reaching Alistair's chambers, we find that the bath is in fact ready and waiting. I practically let out a hoot of pleasure and begin tugging at my nightshift. Alistair grasps my wrists gently before I manage to get it off of me. He tugs me gently so that my back is pressed against his chest.

"You did say you were exhausted, my lady. I wouldn't want you to strain yourself. Allow me." Without further preamble he slides my shift over my head. He rests his hands on my shoulders and begins to trail soft kisses along the curve of my neck. I sigh happily, and as I turn toward him, he holds me firmly in place. "Tut tut. You are not to move a muscle." He murmurs softly. As there is no breast band to remove (I mean honestly, why would I wear that bloody thing to bed anyhow?) he cups my breasts gently. The warmth begins to pool in my center, and as he begins to slowly roll my nipples between his thumb and index fingers, I'm sure that my smallclothes are sopping wet. "So beautiful…" he whispers into my ear. When his hands fall away from my breasts I let out a small moue of protest, but am quickly gladdened when he removes my (now mostly damp) smallclothes. He lifts me gently then, and lowers me into the warm bath. The water is like heaven against my flesh, and it smells of lavender and Andraste's Grace. When I see Alistair reach for a sponge I suddenly realize that he's actually going to _bathe_ me. My cheeks flush at the thought of him catering to me so willingly.

He wets the sponge and gently rubs it against my shoulders, gliding it down my spine to the small of my back. He repeats this motion several times. He moves the sponge to my chest, brushing it against my collarbone, down between the valley of my breasts…he makes sure to cleanse every square inch. My eyes fall shut as the sponge slides to my lower abdomen. He very gently asks me to scoot down so that I am further submerged in the water. I'm only too happy to comply. I sense him move to the other end of the tub where he gingerly grasps one ankle, lifting it out of the water. The sponge glides up my calf to my knee…and is soon very dangerously gliding up my inner thigh. My breath hitches slightly, but just as he reaches _that place_ he pulls away, and moves instead to my other ankle, repeating the action. I never knew a bath could be so damn erotic! My breathing has become rather laboured from all this teasing. I'm snapped out of my blissful state by his husky voice in my ear. Wait, how did he get to this side of the tub without my noticing?

"Only one spot left to clean…" his hand dips into the water and cups my mons. I let loose a gasp and part my thighs. He chuckles throatily, not hesitating to flick his middle finger against my clitoris. I bite my lower lip to stifle a moan. "Don't stay quiet on my account," he rumbles. "I hear the walls of the Keep are very thick indeed." His finger moves from the small nub to my slit, and he inserts two fingers, causing my back to arch. He reaches down with his free hand and unlaces his trousers, freeing his erection. For a moment I expect him to pull me out of the tub and have his way with me, only instead he begins to stroke his shaft. I look at him questioningly. "I told you, you aren't to move a muscle…at least not voluntary…" With a cheeky grin he inserts a third finger inside of me, and by all that's holy, I nearly see stars. His thumb runs circles around my clit as his fingers deftly thrust in and out of me. I can hear that his own breathing has become quick and laboured. I can only imagine how quickly he's pumping his length. My hands come up of their own accord and grip the sides of the tub. My thighs begin to quiver maddeningly, and I can tell that I'm _very _close to having a mind blowing orgasm. "Tell me," Alistair rasps. "Tell me when you're going to come." I nod my head bewilderedly, barely aware of what he's just said. As his middle finger suddenly grazes that _special _spot on the front wall of my canal, I know that I am undone. "Now," I hiss softly. I let out a cry of pleasure, and to my utter delight, Alistair joins me in my peaking if his own grunts of ecstasy are any indication. I continue to ride his hand through the intensity of my climax, until finally my muscles turn to jelly. My head lolls to one side and I smile at Alistair, my eyes completely glazed from having been sated so fully.

"That was the best bath ever," I murmur.

"Well, you certainly are thoroughly wet," he quips. I groan and splash water at him for his awful jest. "Let's get you out of here, lest you turn into a prune." He reaches into the water and cradles me into his arms. He lifts me out of the tub and stands me upright, allowing me to use him for support since my knees seem to have weakened substantially. After drying me, he carries me to his bed.

"Is this where we make mad passionate love?" I ask sleepily.

He slides into bed and wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me to his chest. "No, this is where you sleep, my dear. You wanted a bath and then bed, and I've always said that your desire is my command."

"And the incredible orgasm in the tub?"

"Oh that? Well, is it my fault I can't keep my hands to myself? Besides, didn't it make you nice and sleepy?"

"Yes, I suppose it did, at that," I purr. He chuckles and plants a kiss on the crown of my head.

"Get some sleep, my love. Tomorrow we _both _need to chat with the Commander. Needless to say, I think you'll be interested in the information he's collected."

"Less talkie, more sleepy," I murmur groggily.

I can practically hear Alistair's smile. "Maker's breath, if I loved you anymore I think my head would explode."

Now _that _would be an interesting sight…though I wonder idly which head he's referring to. That's the thought that clings to me as I drift off into the Fade.


	20. Allegiances Forged

**Disclaimer: **Bioware and EA own Dragon Age. I own these hideous pink sweatpants. They were the only ones left in my size! I look like a 'pink nightmare' in them. =D

**A/N: **Guys, I really have no excuse for abandoning this fic for so long. I just lost my mojo for it or something. Regardless, I finally sat down and penned this chapter, and I hope some of my faithful readers are still around to enjoy it. Again, thanks to the silent readers, reviewers and those who've fave'd. Ya'll are my raison d'être *hugs and kisses* Oh and by the way, the horrible wording/slurring at the end of the chapter is entirely intentional.

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When I wake the next morning, Alistair has an arm wrapped snugly around my waist and he's snoring softly into my ear. I smile and think back over the past weeks. If anyone had told me that I'd be in love once again, and with the king no less, I'd've told them they'd gone off the deep end. I'd completely resigned myself to living out an existence of anonymity. Now I'm pretty sure such a fate is impossible.

Ahh, Aedan, it figures you'd be the one to toss a bucking bronto into my well formed plans.

Alistair murmurs something unintelligible in his sleep and smacks his lips a few times. He draws me closer to him, which results in my rear making direct contact with his quite-over-hard cock. This is definitely something I could get used to. I wiggle my arse against him playfully, and he lets out a moan.

"Minx!" he groans into my hair, his voice thick with sleep.

I crane my neck to gaze at him over my shoulder, a cheeky grin playing across my lips. "Is it my fault you wake up in such a state? I'm merely taking advantage of the situation."

"By all means, don't let me stop you," he murmurs huskily. He doesn't need to ask twice. I gladly roll on top of him, our bodies melding into one within seconds. He's become an extension of my being. I don't fancy myself the poetic type, but in this moment I swear that sonnets could spill from my lips with relative ease. I am undone by his smile, his eyes, his every movement.

This is where I'm meant to be.

* * *

The Warden-Commander is already waiting for us when we enter the dining hall. Thankfully the other Wardens aren't present. Being in another room with Anders and Nathaniel just isn't something I want to have to deal with so early in the morning.

I take a seat next to Alistair and opposite the Commander. It's only my second time seeing the man and I must admit, he does paint an interesting portrait. On the one hand, he sits casually in his chair, giving off an air of nonchalance. At the same time it's quite obvious to any trained fighter that he's primed for battle, ready to strike at any given moment. "Good morning, your Ladyship," he says by way of greeting. "I hope you found the accommodations to your liking?"

My little bath escapades with Alistair rise to the forefront of my brain, and I try desperately not to turn the same shade as a beet. For one, it's not my best colour. "Yes, everything was wonderful. Thank you for your hospitality."

The Commander waves his hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it." He clears his throat and continues. "The king and I were discussing a mutual problem we seem to be facing."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Oh? And what pray tell is our 'mutual problem'?"

He leans back in his chair and shoots me a winning grin. "Why, Bann Esmerelle of course. Not only has she been trying to have you killed, she's also been meeting with several nobles in secret in order to plot my own demise."

Wow, old rat faced Esmerelle certainly gets around. I've always known the nobles to be a slimy sort, but to resort to such extreme measures? I suppose the person to coin the phrase "absolute power corrupts absolutely" had Bann Esmerelle in mind. "What do you plan on doing about it?" I ask.

Commander Caron smirks at us. "Nothing."

Wait…what? "What do you mean, 'nothing'?"

He shrugs his broad shoulders, continuing with his guise of nonchalance. "I am smoking her out. I've already dispatched several of her co-conspirators. Once she learns of their fate, I fully expect her to panic and make a move on Vigil's Keep."

"I see…" I certainly hope this guy knows what he's doing. His plan does make sense - having Esmerelle make the first move against him will undoubtedly tip her hand in his favour. On the other hand, the Commander risks civil unrest should he leave the issue unattended. Who knows how many other people Esmerelle could have poisoned?

"I think your plan is sound, however what are we to do in the meantime?" Alistair asks.

"You may stay at the Keep for as long as you wish," the Commander replies. "You'll no doubt find plenty to do to occupy your time," he winks at me knowingly, which makes me bristle, which in turn makes me feel foolish for reacting like a silly chit. When did I suddenly become so bloody sensitive?

Once we've finished discussing other more mundane issues, we heap our plates at the sideboard and begin shoveling the food into our mouths. It isn't until Commander Caron is finished that he notices the mountain of eggs and back bacon I'd served myself. "Are you sure you're not a Grey Warden, Lady Elissa?"

"No, why?" I respond, my mouth full of half chewed pork. Alistair chuckles at my confusion. "What? What's so funny?"

* * *

"Is it true his father had your entire family killed?"

I glance up from the book I'd been flipping through and find myself face to face (well, almost, given the height difference) with the Legion dwarf. I frown and snap the book shut. "I take it you're referring to Nathaniel. Why do you want to know?"

She bites her lip nervously. "Well, we do work together, and I want to know if I can…"

"Trust him?"

She nods and looks away, avoiding my gaze.

"Yes, his father did have my entire family killed. It seems he was tired of having to answer to _my_ father. Rendon Howe was an evil little man, and I find it most fitting that my brother was the one to end his miserable life," I reply coldly. "As far as Nathaniel is concerned, I can only imagine that the apple didn't fall far from the tree."

The dwarf glances up at me, her expression that of confusion. "I just don't understand…Nate seems like an honorable person, not one to betray his comrades."

I shrug. "You asked my opinion and I gave it. I'm sorry if my answer isn't what you wanted to hear."

"No, that's fine. I guess I was hoping that I'd heard wrong…but I do think you're misjudging Nate."

"What, are the two of you lovers or something?" I ask caustically. By the way her face heats up I can tell I've hit the mark. "Oh, Maker, isn't that rich! Howe's managed to sweet talk his way into your smalls. Don't be surprised if he stabs you in the back while you're in the midst of rutting."

Anger blooms on the dwarf's face and her eyes narrow into slits. "You may think that you're above any sort of attack here, but if you haven't already noticed, I'm a member of the Legion – which means by dwarven standards I'm already dead. I understand your hatred for Nate, but if you dare insult what we have together ever again-"

"Leave it be, Sigrun," comes a voice from behind me. "She has every right to feel the way she does."

I turn my head and find Nathaniel leaning against the wall behind the chair I'd been sitting in. How in the world did he manage that trick? My lips draw back from my teeth in a feral snarl. "Howe. What do you want? Looking to finish the job your dear old daddy started? I guarantee my blades will never be fully sated until your disgusting blood coats them. "

Sigrun takes a threatening step forward, but Nathaniel halts her with a simple gesture. "I have no desire to kill you, Elissa. I had no idea of what my father had planned. If I'd known I would have done something to stop him."

"Easy for you to say now that your father is dead; if he'd survived you'd probably be denouncing my father as a traitor to the king," I snap.

"Do you honestly believe that, Elissa? After all the time we spent together as children, did I really seem the type to blindly follow my father around and ignore my values and ideals?" Nathaniel asks.

I frown and chew on the inside of my cheek. Truth to be told, Nathaniel always had been the one to defend the servants if they accidentally broke something, or didn't clean the house properly. He'd usually get quite a walloping as a result, too. "No…Thomas was the spineless one. Before I left it seemed like he was always drunk. Your father even went so far as to propose a possible match between your brother and I. Needless to say, he went away in a decidedly wretched mood."

"You see? I would not have had any part in your family's demise. Right now I'm trying my damndest just to rebuild my family's name," Nathaniel responds.

My brow creases in consternation. "Look, I don't know what to think, and it would seem I have more important things to worry about than the possibility of you slitting my throat. For now, I'm going to my room to relax."

I stalk out of the study and head toward my bedroom. On the way I pass by an elven servant and ask him if he can have some food and wine brought up to my chambers. He immediately sets off on his task. As I step into my sleeping quarters I can't help but notice for a second time just how comfortable they are. I flop down on the large bed and exhale loudly. My stomach follows my exhalation with a bit of rumbling, and I'm thankful that I'd asked for some food. Dinner probably won't be for a while, and I need something to tide me over. Several minutes go by and eventually I hear a knock at my door. "Who is it?" I call out.

"Just bringin' ya up yer food, milady," comes the reply.

I hop off my bed, march over to the door and swing it open. An older woman is on the other side holding a tray of cheese, bread and fruit. There is also a wine decanter on the tray as well as a steel goblet. I take the tray from her and smile appreciatively. "Thank you, ma'am." I balance the tray on one arm while I dig around in my pouch for a couple of silvers, which I slide her way. She shoots me a grateful grin and hobbles off. I close the door behind me and set the tray on the table in my room. I rub my hands together in anticipation at the prospect of my mini feast. I start by pouring myself a bit of wine, and then break off a piece of crusty bread. The bread is delicious and the wine is obviously of superior quality. I take several more sips and start in on the cheese. As is my usual reaction when eating cheese, my eyes roll back into my head and I moan with pleasure. I continue to eat and go over the conversation I'd had with Nathaniel. After a goblet of wine I've decided that perhaps he's telling the truth. I also can't help but start picturing he and Sigrun doing the nasty, which prompts a fit of giggles. Normally such an image would more likely to turn me on than amuse me, so I'm surprised at my sudden hysteria. I set down my goblet so as not to spill any of its contents, and I notice that the room has grown rather spinny. In fact, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to keep my eyes open. I rise to my feet, but my legs just don't seem to work. How odd.

"Whazza? Whaz goin…." I'm slurring, that for sure. But how can be when only one glass wine? Normly take three no wait four to do me in…

I stumble forward…take one step…then falling…pain erupts…nothing.


End file.
